Focus: It Pays to Serve God

Text: Jb.1:9

"Doth Job fear God for nought?"

I love the way The Living Bible paraphrases it: "Why shouldn't he when you pay him so well?"

Satan is saying Job had good reasons for serving God. In other words, Job was serving God for benefits. Job was a God-believer for the sake of profit. Take away everything you have given him, and watch him curse you to your face. That was Satan's nonsensical argument, but Job proved him wrong. Child of God, live your life to prove Satan wrong. Live to shame the devil.

I say this to you, that serving God is the most rewarding lifetime job in the world. In fact, in Isaiah 45:19, God says to His people, "I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain..." Yes, no one pays as much as God does. You can't seek God without gain. Heb.11:6 says, "He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a REWARDER of them that diligently seek him." In Job 36:11, Elihu has this to say, "If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures."

You can't serve God in vain; it is not possible. Those who diligently seek God shall be amply rewarded, not only in the world to come, but also in this present world. The rewards or blessings are not the REASONS for serving God. They are rather the EFFECTS of serving Him. Serving God triggers blessings. 

But the whole point of Job's story is that even with the visible or tangible rewards of good health, booming business, great family, and personal peace taken away from him, Job was still firmly holding on to his faith in God contrary to the insinuations of Satan. He proved Satan wrong and made God proud. He kept faith with his God. He went through hell and high waters, but in the end, he was better off for it. He got back double the rewards or blessings. Refresh your memory with this great truth that it pays to serve God. Apostle Peter tells us with unwavering conviction that "the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you" - 1Pet.5:10.

Suffering is not the final word of your life. Glory is. Honor is! Settlement is! Joy, peace and prosperity are! And surely, it pays to serve God. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter