well done, good and faithful servant

i think it's safe to assume that every one of us believers has, at one time or another, been tempted to earn our salvation: to do a little extra for insurance purposes. at first, rule-keeping, or an act of goodness, seems so attractive because it's something we think we can "control." it's something we can do, and aren't we americans especially action-driven? sometimes it's so much easier than waiting or trusting because that just feels so passive and inefficient.

when i am tempted to rely on my own righteousness or goodness (or scared witless and momentarily forget that Christ is my righteousness and my worthless deeds are not what God looks at), i want to instead remind myself of these two verses from matthew:

"then the King will say to those on his right, 'come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" and "well done, good and faithful servant..."

nowhere in these two verses does God say: "come, you who earned my love" or "well done, commandment-keepng, modest, church-attending servant." nope, He uses the words blessed and faithful. blessed implies that we received a gift; faithful implies we trusted. the motivation for the good works that we do are evidence of a soul that has been redeemed, a life renewed, a grateful heart transformed by the gospel; a natural response to love others because we have been so greatly loved first by God.

those words, well done, good and faithful servant, either give me the chills or make me cry whenever i read them. they are the most beautiful, wonderful, relieving words i will ever hear as a believer. and since it's from a parable, i don't know if Christ will say those exact words, but He will say something to us when we get to heaven, and it will be beautiful. all the trials and hardships we endure on this earth will seem so distant when he welcomes us to heaven. if we haven't already discovered on earth the reasons behind our trials, i believe there will be some kind of consciousness of the reason when we get to heaven, or maybe God will even tell us outright. it will all make sense.

God will welcome all the believers who persevered on earth throughout the ages: the first-world suburban housewives who trusted in him, the physically-tortured iranian christians who trusted in him, the weary in well-doing who trusted in him, the discouraged, yet hoping missionary who trusted in him, the thief on the cross who trusted in him, even if it was for mere minutes; every christian who received undeserved merit by God through Christ will hear a rewarding, beautiful word.

may God give you peace as you walk in faith today.