Ever since the Garden of Eden, man has been communicating with God and God has been fellowshipping with man. It seems that it’s in God’s nature to keep a constant, loving eye on His people. Any time His covenant partners needed Him, God was there, always able to provide His incomparable guidance and wisdom. Also, He couldn’t help but bring along a promise or two. Noah was granted grace and built his promised ship before the floodwaters converged. Abraham was called forth and given the promise of a son, a promise twenty-five years in the making but fulfilled nonetheless. The entire Bible is full of God’s involvement – nothing more than the works needed to fulfill what had been promised.

 

As for us, we get to walk in the full glory of a relationship with God. Because the old covenant has been fulfilled and God is now accessible, He is also able to do and say more than He ever has. Throughout time, God has made and kept many special promises with His people, but there are some promises that are unfulfilled (as of yet). There are some promises that require patience, a little waiting until the time is right.

 

The book of Revelation describes a time to come in which the children of God will be honored and blessed. Through chapters two and three, John tells of the promises that are given to the churches and to the believers that overcome. Each of these promises are very tangible. God has not made our inheritance and reward in obscurity; He has laid out His plan in a very understandable way. These promised gifts include “the tree of life” (2:7), salvation from “the second death” (2:11), “a new name” (2:17), “power over the nations” (2:26), and “a crown of life” (2:10). There are many things that we can expect to receive, but my focus has been on the importance of this crown.

 

Scripture speaks of ten crowns specifically, including a crown of honor (Esther 8:15), a crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4), and of course, the crown of life. James writes:

   “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he

    shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that

    love him.” (James 1:12, KJV)

 

I find it funny that, as a society, we labor too much for things that don’t matter. If you turn on practically any television channel, you will find a reality show. On any number of these shows, we see people doing scary, odd, disgusting, and dangerous things to gain a title, a job, or a load of cash. More true to life than reality TV, we find another example – the Olympian. Athletes that train for the Olympics are some of the most focused, dedicated, and passionate people ever. They train for decades for a chance, just a chance, at competing in an event that is only held once every four years. More than that, there is even a slimmer chance that they will actually receive what they truly desire: a gold medal.

 

With this observation, I must ask this: Are any of these things worth as much as a promise from God? Is a medal equivalent to our crown? We see people act as if the medal were a guarantee. When people compete on those reality shows, they live their life like the job or the cash would be the embodiment of happiness and success. Why then don’t we, as believers, live our life like the crown that lies ahead is priceless? While everyone else’s prize is a shot in the dark, ours is a guarantee. God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). The One that has promised all of these things is faithful (Hebrews 10:23). So if God has promised, He will deliver. We can count on absolutely everything He has ever said.

 

God has always set before us plans and promises, and He has done everything in His power to give these good things to us. It is now up to us, just as it was for the prophets of old, to choose. (Deuteronomy 30:19)

Are we really acting like heirs to a crown or are we behaving just a little shy of our spiritual destiny?