S186P11 – A promise is a promise: the faithful will be remembered

Rev. 3:5

He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

It was time once again for his annual products conference, so the shop owner left his son in charge.  The son had been primarily managing the place for some time, so he was fully trusted.  He worked well that week, but the same could not be said for some of the employees.  The day-to-day management of the store required a lot of time in the office, and they were left to work the floor and handle sales on their own.  A few thought that perhaps the son would not be as vigilant as the father, so they relaxed a bit as if that week were a vacation of sorts.  When the father returned, he asked for a full report on productivity and sales from the son.  The next day, the staff was cut in half. 

Most people do not want to be discharged and forgotten for doing a bad job.  Most people want to do well so that they are remembered, promoted and rewarded.  They want to stand out as loyal employees who perform their jobs well as a matter of principle and good work ethic.  That is the same attitude we are to have in our spiritual lives.  It is easy to fall in the trap of thinking that the Father and Son are not here because we cannot see them and sometimes do not feel them.  We might think that we have small windows during which we can be unfaithful, and we take advantage of those times.  What the Father will be looking for is a report from the Son, who will remember and defend those who remained faithful not because they are being watched but because it is what God desires.

I want Jesus Christ to confess my name before the Father as belonging to a faithful one.  I want my name written in the book of life never to be erased or forgotten.  I want to overcome and be presented with a white garment by my Lord.  That is God’s desire for us, that we would seek faithfulness and perseverance, that we would chase our everlasting entry in that great book.  Those who are unfaithful and decide to remain outside the presence of God will be forgotten.  Those who seek spiritual steadfastness as if life depends on it (because it literally does) will be remembered.  Father, thank You for the grace to make it possible for us to persevere and have our names written in the book of life eternally.