May 13, 2013
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 24:45-51
OBSERVATIONS/APPLICATION
Imagine this scenario: you leave your young children in the care of a trusted babysitter, expecting them to care for your precious children until your return.
You come back earlier than planned, only to discover that they locked the children in their bedroom, ate all the food, beat the children when they cried or ‘misbehaved’, had a wild and crazy party and trashed your house.
How would you respond?
What if it is worse… they rape or torture or kill your children, they sell your possessions and your house, they find your credit card and incur thousands and thousands in debt.
Now magnify this by the nth degree, for every day and year and decade and century.
Do you forgive them, do you punish them, do you demand justice or offer mercy?
What would they deserve, how much punishment is enough?
This is what God has experienced with His trusted servants, put in charge of His creation and His family.
Let those who accuse God of being unfair with condemning the unrepentant recall how serious the crimes of humanity are.
Would we just forgive Ariel Castro, how would we feel if they were our daughters?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, remind us how serious our crimes against You, against Your family, against creation really are. Not so that we will feel bad, but so that we may repent, and accept Your undeserved mercy.
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
When I am asked to complete a task at work, it is best that I work away at it, instead of wasting time on non work things like visiting with my co-workers. And now, since I find out that my occupation is more than just my work, and that I actually work for God, today’s scripture reinforces this idea with telling me that as I work for God, the same kind of idea takes place. Since I work for God, I need to find ways to do the things God wants me to do. Just as at my place of employment, I look for ways to add value to the company, so it is with my working for God. I need to look for ways to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I need to be found to be faithful to the message of Jesus, and I need to carry out activities of the kingdom.
I pray that Jesus can be seen in my life, and that by being the hands and feet and mouth of Jesus, that his kingdom on earth will be advanced, and that value will be added to the brand.
Observations:
The faithful servant was put in charge of the household and the master leaves. A good servant does what was asked and the unfaithful servant fulfills his own desires. He will be found wanting when the Master returns. Each will receive their reward.
I am reminded about the hireling for the sheep. He too does his own thing as the servant did.
Application:
I am the servant.
You are the servant.
We have been given a charge.
We/I have the purpose to serve Him. That’s the reason of being alive and well and placed in the here and now. How well am I serving my King. This world belongs to God. I’m put in charge of His household. How well am I doing? And when He returns, for returning He will, am I busy doing what is expected of me – doing His will – a Kingdom worker?
Every day is a new day to serve Him and so this dayI also commit to Him. Today God Is First as He is every day. I must be GodStrong in order to WorkStrong and by His grace I can. Turn my eyes toward home . Focus on the Master and work each day as a day of the Lord.
Prayer:
Make me a channel of Your peace Lord. Continue to work in me and through me Your wonders to perform accomplishing Your Kingdom come. Amen.
1 Out in the highways and byways of life,
many are weary and sad;
are weary and sad
Carry the sunshine where darkness is rife
making the sorrowing glad.
Refrain:
Make me a blessing,
Make me a blessing,
Out of my life
out of my life
May Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O savior, I pray,
I pray Thee, my Savior,
Make me a blessing to someone today.
2 Tell the sweet story of Christ and His love;
Tell of His pow’r to forgive;
His pow’r to forgive.
Others will trust Him if only you prove
true ev’ry moment you live.
Refrain:
3 Give as ’twas given to you in your need;
Love as the Master loved you;
Be to the helpless a helper indeed;
Unto your mission be true.
Refrain