Luke 12:41-48
41Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?"
42The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
Lord Jesus, you have given me a job to do...help me to be faithful to that job. Help me to do that work today and to be active in doing what you have given me to do until you return. It is easy to say but that the doing is something that takes a life time to accomplish.
There is blessing found in doing your will both now and as time goes on...blessing and grace.
It is really a simple job that you give...to give food allowance at the proper time. But the job takes diligence, planning, leg work on the details, and just plain hard work to make sure things happen each time and every time there is a meal.
Lord Jesus help me to keep to the knitting...with a level of grace and just plain good manners.
45But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk.
Safe to say it has been awhile that you have been away Lord. What is my reaction to that delay going to be? Am I going to do the hard work? Am I going to get the job done? Or am I going to party?
There is always the pull toward partying and just waisting time, money and energy on things that just plain do not satisfy...things that don't last, don't make a difference, and just plain don't really feed my soul.
46The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47"That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows.
Thank you Lord for the reminder that there are eternal consequences for disobedience...for lack of follow through. I need to be reminded that I have to keep my hand to the plow if I every expect a harvest.
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Here is the hard part...the weight of blessing. You have given me so much...and that much is needed in your kingdom. To see your kingdom advance here in this place of Living Springs...it will take all that is within me...every once of wisdom, skill, knowledge, endurance, and grace.
You have given your blessings for a reason...within the blessings there are clues as to where you are planning to move next. It is not just the blessings that I have received that the clues are found in but the way in which you are blessing your people that are a part of this adventure.
42The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
Lord Jesus, you have given me a job to do...help me to be faithful to that job. Help me to do that work today and to be active in doing what you have given me to do until you return. It is easy to say but that the doing is something that takes a life time to accomplish.
There is blessing found in doing your will both now and as time goes on...blessing and grace.
It is really a simple job that you give...to give food allowance at the proper time. But the job takes diligence, planning, leg work on the details, and just plain hard work to make sure things happen each time and every time there is a meal.
Lord Jesus help me to keep to the knitting...with a level of grace and just plain good manners.
45But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk.
Safe to say it has been awhile that you have been away Lord. What is my reaction to that delay going to be? Am I going to do the hard work? Am I going to get the job done? Or am I going to party?
There is always the pull toward partying and just waisting time, money and energy on things that just plain do not satisfy...things that don't last, don't make a difference, and just plain don't really feed my soul.
46The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47"That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows.
Thank you Lord for the reminder that there are eternal consequences for disobedience...for lack of follow through. I need to be reminded that I have to keep my hand to the plow if I every expect a harvest.
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Here is the hard part...the weight of blessing. You have given me so much...and that much is needed in your kingdom. To see your kingdom advance here in this place of Living Springs...it will take all that is within me...every once of wisdom, skill, knowledge, endurance, and grace.
You have given your blessings for a reason...within the blessings there are clues as to where you are planning to move next. It is not just the blessings that I have received that the clues are found in but the way in which you are blessing your people that are a part of this adventure.
What do those blessings imply? So what are the skills, what are the insights...what are the clues as to what you would have this church call Living Springs become that can be found in the blessings?
A few thoughts come to mind...
Prayer...you seem to be calling me again and again...in different and various ways to experiment with prayer...what I pray for...how I pray...how we pray in church...You are never far from my thoughts these days. I sense your movement in my heart at what seem to be odd movements. Some times when reading...sometimes when writing...sometimes when I least expect it. The places where I find you blessing are such odd places at times right where I would not expect to be blessed I find you setting the table for dinner with enemies all around. It could not happen except by your grace.
Worship...I find myself again and again coming in touch with you in worship...sometimes alone, sometimes in church, sometimes even at worship practice...I hear you...I sense your movement in my heart and life.
In this writing through these lines from time to time...I hear your voice, I sense your Holy Spirit moving within me. I am face to face with the reality that you are the one that blesses...you are the one who entrusts...that if I am to be useful in your kingdom I need to be just the channel through which your blessings flow. The more that I hold on to them...the slower the flow of those blessings to where they need to get...the slower the flow of new blessings into my life. So letting go of the present blessings only bring new blessings and new ways in which to praise you.
A few thoughts come to mind...
Prayer...you seem to be calling me again and again...in different and various ways to experiment with prayer...what I pray for...how I pray...how we pray in church...You are never far from my thoughts these days. I sense your movement in my heart at what seem to be odd movements. Some times when reading...sometimes when writing...sometimes when I least expect it. The places where I find you blessing are such odd places at times right where I would not expect to be blessed I find you setting the table for dinner with enemies all around. It could not happen except by your grace.
Worship...I find myself again and again coming in touch with you in worship...sometimes alone, sometimes in church, sometimes even at worship practice...I hear you...I sense your movement in my heart and life.
In this writing through these lines from time to time...I hear your voice, I sense your Holy Spirit moving within me. I am face to face with the reality that you are the one that blesses...you are the one who entrusts...that if I am to be useful in your kingdom I need to be just the channel through which your blessings flow. The more that I hold on to them...the slower the flow of those blessings to where they need to get...the slower the flow of new blessings into my life. So letting go of the present blessings only bring new blessings and new ways in which to praise you.
Letting go of yesterday blessings only allows us room for today's blessings.
Lord Jesus-- Thank you again for your blessings and help me to be aware and accountable in their use and what they imply about where you would lead.
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