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In Genesis 14, Abram had rescued his nephew Lot, all the goods and the people from neighbouring kings at war.  After the rescue, the King of Sodom welcomed the return of his captured people and offered Abram to keep the spoils of war.  Abram refused the loot lest the King say: “I made Abram rich” (Gen. 14:23).  Earlier to this, Lot had separated from Abram, choosing the prosperous plains of Sodom.  Abram was left with the second choice.

So here is Abram in Genesis 15, with no good land, no loot and no heir.  But read verse 1 again: “After this …”.  When Abram was likely shaky in spirit, the Almighty God comforted him, saying that the LORD was his “exceedingly great reward”.  Recall the disciples in the dead of night, tossed about by a stormy sea.  The Lord Jesus drew near, and said, “Take courage!  It is I.  Don’t be afraid” (Mk. 6:50). The Lord is our exceedingly “great reward” when things seem dark and tossed about in a sea of uncertainty.

Back to Abram in Genesis 15: his reaction to the LORD’s assurance of “great reward” was asking two questions. “What can you give me?” (concerning an heir, Gen 15: 2) and “How can l I know that?” (possession of land, Gen 15: 8).  When Thomas did not see the risen Lord at first, he said: “Unless I see … I will not believe it” (Jn. 20:25).  When Jesus appeared to him, He asked Thomas to feel His hands and side (Jn. 20:27).  The Lord Jesus is our exceedingly “great reward”when things seem unbelievable and in doubt.

“Exceedingly” in Gen. 15:1 means to the “highest degree” and “great” is used in the sense of “multiplication”.  God would be Abram’s highest reward and would multiply Abram’s joy.  Isaac, his son, would be the heir from whom Abram’s descendants become as uncountable as the stars and the line from which Jesus the Saviour comes.  Jesus is our highest reward because He made us heirs of God.  How do we know this?  His Holy Spirit is our seal.  Just as Abram did not earn a reward of his own doing or with the King of Sodom’s help, we have not earned our salvation by our own doing.  Jesus is our exceedingly great reward for the salvation He purchased through His blood.  Let us unwrap this undeserved “great reward” often in personal praise and appreciate this highest gift, not just at Christmas but all the time.