An earthly reward to enjoy here and now …

We human beings like receiving.

Whether it’s gifts or rewards, we delight in receiving them.

Yes, the Bible tells us “… it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35b) — and a lot of us sincerely enjoy giving — but a lot of us really love getting!

Especially, when the gift or reward is from God himself, because He is a particularly good giver.

Well, God has given us some things to enjoy in this life. And, for those who are married, there’s one specific reward God has given to be enjoyed for an entire lifetime. Take note of this from Solomon, writer of Ecclesiastes:

“Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil,” Ecclesiastes 9:9.

Put another way, your spouse is your greatest reward in this lifetime. In that case, live happily with her!

Is that how you think of your spouse, as your great reward in life? Is that how you treat her/him? How do you live happily together?

If you haven’t really thought of your spouse as an earthly reward from God to be loved and enjoyed for a lifetime, how might it change your relationship if you began seeing your spouse as a reward from God?

Scotty