Even when we have done what we know to be God's will, we do not deserve God's gracious reward, for we have only done what God commanded us to do (Luke 17:10). God's reward is not a debt He owes to us, but a grace He bestows upon us (Romans 4:4). Paul is saying that a reward is graciously given to us by God; it's not earned or deserved. God graciously gives us the faith, love, and desire to do His will (He works within us both to will and to do His good pleasure—Philippians 2:13), and then when we do His good will, He graciously rewards us for having done His will. That is the amazing love and grace of our God.
But what are the rewards that He graciously bestows upon His dear children? God's rewards are tangible, material blessings (food for the Levites—Numbers 18:31; children, may we treat them as such—Psalm 127:3). But the most precious rewards are those we cannot even see or hold in our hands (God Himself—Genesis 15:1; the glories of heaven—Matthew 5:12; and gifts of understanding and wisdom with which the Lord gave to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah in Daniel 1:17 after they had purposed to do the will of God in not eating the king's food that had been sacrificed to false gods regardless of the cost to them. Let us consider God's gracious reward bestowed upon Daniel and his friends: (1) The Reward Given by God (Daniel 1:17); (2) The Reward Evidenced in Their Lives (Daniel 1:18-21).
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