"And behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work." Jesus, Rev. 22:12
I use to collect stuff. Lots of stuff. I collected crackle glass, American pottery, Nemadji pottery, Racu pottery, primitive bowls, yellowware, crocks. Lots of stuff. I accumulated more than you can imagine. I owned an antique mall for a few years and managed to accumulate an enormous amount of items. Today I don't have half the stuff I use to collect. Sold alot on eBay. But what I have is far more than I need or want.
I've joked with my daughter that someday she'll stick it all in a yardsale and sell if for a tenth of what it's worth. She laughs and says, it probably won't even sell for that much. She doesn't care. She doesn't have a clue as to the value of things.
I'd sell it on eBay today. But postage has gotten so high people don't want to pay for things to be shipped. And the market is so saturated with items, it's harder and harder to sell stuff. So I quit. And now I have all this stuff just sitting throughout my home. It's like an antique store. Above is a photo of one of my dining room walls. It houses some of my pottery, books, mason jars and primitive dough bowls. It makes me feel good to look at these old things, some things 200 years old. Antiques are someone's memories in tangible form. When I pick up a 1872 Ball jar and empty the macaroni into boiling water, I feel a sense of stability. Yesterday's utilityware is today's antiquated collection--but still serves a purpose.
Many of the things I collected were purchased because of the fond memories attached to the item: Grama's freshly churned buttermilk poured from old yellowware pitchers. Tin biscuit cutters made from old carnation milk cans. Wooden spools with hundreds of yards of multicolored thread resting in an old dough bowl. Huge stoneware mixing bowls guarding cotton coasters made from an old worn quilt. I enjoy these simple pleasures.
Temporary treasures. Earthly rewards purchased for momentary pleasure. Some day, the fruit of my labor for Jesus will be displayed for my Savior. My efforts of faith will grace His banquet halls. My life will give Jesus silver and gold, or my life will bring Him hay and stubble. But when He returns, riding His white steed, He will bring a reward with Him, "to give to every one according to his work." Can you imagine? A reward for surrendering? A reward for suffering without murmurring? A reward for persevering, enduring and obedience. Jesus will give me something for simply abandoning myself to Him, for His purpose. An eternity with perfect peace, complete joy, unerring ways. No more night, no more tears, no more sorrow! What a Savior! What a friend! selahV
FOR MORE ON REWARDS, CLICK ON WHAT MATTERS.
[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2007]
