“…he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” 

It’s one of my all-time favorite verses in the Bible — Hebrews 11:6.  It’s found in the “Old Testament Hall of Fame” or “the Faith Chapter.”  From this one verse we could launch into an abundance of discussions including theology, philosophy, worldview, apologetics, evangelism and human responsibility.  But not here, not now.  For today the menu choice is the designation of God as “a rewarder” (NKJV).

We all know what a reward is, at least generally.  It is something we receive after we perform some kind of work or make some kind of effort or achieve something.  The Greek word puts the emphasis on wages, what is due us when we work for an employer.  When we work for pay, our salary or paycheck is our reward.  But there’s more to it than that.

Before we take a job, we should first know the character of our employer.  What kind of boss is this person?  Is he/she good to the employees?  Are his/her words and promises good?  Can I trust him/her to treat me fairly and respectfully?  And how about the financial standing of the company?  Is it solid financially?  Does it have enough work to keep me employed for the foreseeable future?  Does it have assets in the bank to guarantee my paycheck, or is it drifting toward bankruptcy?  All of these questions draw attention to the character and nature of the ones we seek to work for.

Then, once I have a generally accurate picture of the company and its leaders, I must make further inquiries: Do I trust them?  Will they pay me when they say they will?  Will I be doing the work they hire me to do?  Or is this a bad company with a poor record and disgruntled employees?  What says the evidence?  The quality of our reward depends on the answers to all these questions.

When it comes to God, there is no mistaking his character.  “He rewards those who earnestly seek him,” our text says.  But he lays down one prior condition: we must believe “he exists.”  This assumption is legitimate because if he required us to see him to know he exists, we’d be dead on the spot (Jud. 6:22-23)!  Evidence is everywhere of God’s existence — in creation, in logic, in science, in math, in history, in conscience, and in multiple other ways.  God says add it up and conclude he is there.

Then seek him.  That’s it.  If we do, we see the rewarding nature of God demonstrated in our lives.  And notice: this is just the beginning point.  This is for salvation.  While chapter eleven speaks of believers who walked by faith, the writer reminds his believing audience that this is where and how our salvation began — by faith.  God rewards no faith that is only verbal and doesn’t lead to obedience (James 2:17, 26).  Every named and anonymous example in the chapter loudly confirms this.

So how did God demonstrate his character in salvation?  First, he planned from eternity past to send Jesus long before he created the world.  Then he promised multiple times to implement that plan while working in time and space.  On top of that, he revealed himself through many ways.  On top of that, Jesus came and kept every single promise.  On top of that, he called us, and drew us to himself.  And all of this was before we ever responded!  What happened after?  He redeemed us and forgave us and cleansed us and indwelt us and adopted us and sanctified us and … and … well, you get the picture.  God is definitely trustworthy, and it is in an open, forgiving and loving relationship that we trust him.

And God’s “company”?  It’s always open for business and cannot collapse!  Thus his rewards are “sure” (Prov. 11:18), “great” (Matt. 5:12), described as “crowns” (multiple places), proportionate to our deeds (Matt. 10:41), “full” (2 John 8), heavenly (Rev. 11:18) and given at the Second Coming (Matt. 16:27).  While the news is good about God’s rewards, too many in the church chase after the visible, here-and-now rewards (Matt. 6:2, 5, 16, etc.) because they are proud and walk by sight, neither knowing nor trusting God.  Simply put, he’s not their boss.  Thus they receive temporary, unsatisfying rewards.

Whose rewards are you receiving?  Does your life confirm that?  Is the Rewarder your boss?