Return on Investment! – A Word by Elaine Rice

Elaine Rice

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In the business world, a return on your investment is calculated by looking at the cost of investment and the possible outcome of that investment to see if it’s profitable.

I’ll never forget asking the Lord about the cost of discipleship as I was reading the passage in Luke 14:25-35 years ago. How do “I” count the cost of “my” discipleship? What will it cost “me” personally?

When a builder sits down to count the cost of a building he has a good idea of the cost because he knows exactly what material and how many laborers he needs to build. He has blueprints, a guide to help know the materials needed to build and if he has enough to complete the job.

A king/president can estimate the cost of war. They will know how many troops they have (and how many the enemy has) and will be briefed on the estimated costs so they can make an educated decision of whether it will be a profitable venture.

While we may never be called upon to build a building or count the cost of going to a physical war, we must understand that we are helping to build our Father’s business and kingdom and we are certainly engaged in spiritual war.

Often on our Christian journey our “investments” are in the secret place that only the Lord knows about. The hours upon hours of prayer, intercession, standing in the gap, sitting quietly in His presence, reading/studying the Word, dreaming with Him – they are ALL investments into our Father’s business. Every tear, every betrayal, every wound or hurtful situation, every wrong turn, every mistake, every victory, every praise, every word or act of worship – they are all investments into our Father’s business.

Most of you are probably familiar with the Biblical account of Sarai, Abram’s wife, and Hagar, mother of Ishmael. (Genesis 16) Sarai treated Hagar harshly and she fled from her mistress. (vs.6, 8) But the angel of the Lord met her by a fountain of water in the wilderness and that’s where Hagar met “El ROI” – the God who sees me.

This is where God also reveals Himself as the God of ROI = Return on Investment! He is El ROI! He alone sees me (and you) and everything that we “sacrifice” for His Kingdom. He is our Return on Investment! God Himself is more than enough!

We cannot make even the tiniest investment without God seeing it and He promises us a reward, a return on our investment. Hebrews 11:6 tells us the without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a REWARDER of them that diligently seek Him.

John 10:10 tells us that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but that Jesus came that we might have life and have it more ABUNDANTLY. He does exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us! (Ephesians 3:20)

Matthew 10 also tells of the cost and reward of discipleship. Jesus said in Matthew 10:42 (NASB): “And whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

I believe the Lord is saying that there are those in the body of Christ that He has hidden away as His secret investments in the earth. Many of you have also made many “secret place investments” and some of you are about to have a public return on investment. As you have been investing into His Kingdom, He has hidden HIS investment in earthen vessels and He’s about to reap a profit in you and through you that will have exponential eternal value.

He is our EL ROI, the God who sees and our EL ROI, the God of our Return on Investment!