Devotional: Dessert Plate (Colossians 3:23–24)

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.” (Colossians 3:23–24a).

Last but not least is the dessert plate in our study of plates. The dessert plate is a specialty plate. As we can see from its name, it is used to put a dessert on, something sweet one enjoys after a meal. It is not meant for a sweet snack at any other time of the day. It is meant to be used only after the dinner meal.

The background of the word dessert comes from the French word desservir, meaning “to remove what has been served.” Which means everything from the table has been taken away when the meal has finished. So, dessert refers to what is eaten after the meal was cleared.

I would like for us to take a look at this dessert plate and what is on it as the reward we will receive after the table is cleared when our life comes to an end on this earth. If you can imagine all the plates we have talked about up to this point as our life and what we have done in it. When our life ends here on this earth it is time for dessert.

We have prepared our whole life for this final event:

  • We have filled ourselves with those essential spiritual needs.
  • We have stood firm on a spiritual and biblical foundation.
  • We have received the Bread of Life through our study and worship.
  • We have endured our full plate and overcome trials of various kinds.
  • We have prayed, read our Bible, and encouraged and been encouraged to get us through the day.

We have had our dinner of fundamental and basic spiritual nourishment by digging into God’s word. Our Lord has been there as we spill our hearts to him in prayer, and show our love to him through service to others. We have been faithful throughout our lives until death.

We must be careful because even though dessert can be good, it can also be bad for some of us. Those who are not of the household of faith will not be able to enjoy the good reward of the good dessert on this dessert plate.

Hymn: Heaven Holds All to Me