Now and Later

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)

OUR young sons are predictably and frequently focused on immediate gratification. They ask why they should eat the healthy food when they feel just fine after eating greasy options. They ask why they should save money for later when they could spend it on something they want right now. They want an immediate reward for good deeds, just as they expect immediate punishment when they witness injustice in the world. In essence, they wonder why we do not focus on the "now" but instead often consider the "later."
Often we hear that we should live in the present; sermons and songs remind us that there is no day but today. Yet Christians know that while we focus on what we can do for God today, our greatest reward comes beyond this physical world. So our obedience to God -- our discipleship -- is not something we do expecting immediate rewards. Rather, we follow the commands of God who brings the good -- in time.
Some seem to think that Christians should receive special blessings because we are in touch with God. But we know that blessings are not always material or measurable; nor are they always granted to us in this lifetime. Serving God is not always about now; sometimes it's about later.