Trophies & Glory

1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Trophies are a beautiful thing in the hands of champions. They glisten and sparkle and dazzle the eye and cause the chest to swell with selfish pride. They proclaim to the loser that 'we are better than you' and that we have a name that will endure, that will last...

Some years ago I was given arm loads of trophies... they were freely given to me. These mementos of previous glories were stacked in an attic, they were dust covered and their shine had paled as for years they had sat in darkness... now, the space that they occupied was worth more than their memory and so I was told to rid the place of them. I pulled the engraved name plates off and stacked the plastic, wood, and crystal awards in the back seat of my car. To my surprise no one wanted these most sought after awards. No one wanted to worship their gleam and shine... no one remembered the giving or the name, or the date... like the dust in an dark attic the glorious memory of victory had dissipated, died, returned to dust, and their glory overshadowed and darkened with the passage of time...

So, I gave trophies away... to drive-in attentents who served me a burger and a coke, to the cook in the back, and to the shopping cart gatherer... it earned a smile and a thanks as they awkwardly carried away the first trophy ever presented to them... as I drove away I couldn't help but chuckle at the irony--as in my mind I compared those who strove so hard to win a prize compared to those who did not strive but the prize was freely given away... to those who accept it. Such are the ways of our God and the wonder of this salvation that is worth more than the crystal found in a National Champion trophy and that will not--nor shall not ever fade away!
Heavenly Father, thank you for this great salvation that Jesus purchased on the cross of calvery for us. Thank you for any award, any trophy, or any crown that we recieve on this side of glory --for one day we will gladly bow and present these awards to a wounded lamb... the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the King of Heaven and Earth! All praise and glory to His name forevermore!