Matthew 24:45-51 45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Terry Reilley
Creekside Open Bible Church
Observation: Lord Jesus, I hear enveloped in the truth of Your great love for me is an expectation to be a faithful and wise steward of my leadership gifts while I anticipate your return. It is in this environment that my greatest fruitfulness, joy and reward will be found.
Action: Jesus, during this Lent season, I will send a note of encouragement to three people a week to let them know I love and appreciate them and am here to serve them.
OBSERVATION: I love what I get to do everyday. I love being a pastor and I love the people I am called to serve. This text reminds me of this. I never want to be like the wicked servant… but there are times when I fall short. I’m thankful for God’s grace (and the way the church I pastor extends that grace to me daily).
ACTION: Today I am going to spend time thanking those who often get overlooked but serve faithfully in our church.
Observation: I hear God saying, make sure you use your talents to serve others, not just yourself. Take joy in serving others, and remember that is the task I gave you.
Action: I will remind myself, when I am frustrated with my students, that they are who God wants me to share my “food” with, that is my job to help them feel compassion, acceptance, and, that I need to help them learn to share their gifts with others, instead of hiding them.
Madison – you nailed it so well. I heard something similar in and for a different context. Well done.
I’m convicted also of the need to serve faithfully; to remeber whose vineyard it really is. I’ll join the others in recognizing and appreciating those who serve with me.
Dear sweet Lord,
Thank You for the generosity you bestow upon me.
May I stay in awe of Your great care.
May every area of my life be worthy of Your calling.
May I remain comfortable and faithful when I hear Your silence.
May my eyes see beyond sparkle here on earth- always seeking Your One True Light.
Find me filled of faith, immersed with integrity, lifting love to others.
Grant me courage and endurance to be Your upright servant, as one who truly loves You. Thank You Lord.
Amen.
The Lord is pointing out to me how blessed I am to have many faithful and wise servants in my life. My Pastor, Art Barrett, and all the Church Without Shoes Pastors give great care and teaching to the servants they’ve been given. I see the calibration of Invitation and Challenge in this scripture.
I will pray today for our Pastors, expressing gratitude for the blessing.
Amen Rachel!! A big thank you to Pastor Art and all the other CWS pastors who feed us and teach us to feed ourselves and others. THANK YOU:-)
Lord, may I be faithful to your calling on my life and I long to hear your words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” My I receive those words now and live in the joy of your grace that invites me into faithfulness everyday.
Observation: All along God has given us the privilege to choose – from the tree in the garden to what kind of servant we will be – faithful and wise or wicked. I see God showing me the wonderful life and relationship that comes from being a faithful and wise servant. I hear Him encouraging me to be true to how HE created me to be. Help me Lord to choose this each and every day.
Action: Today I will be a servant that looks for wise ways to feed those in my life.
Observe: I hear God saying that I’m to walk in His image while I do the work I’ve been given.
Action: Today I will walk with Jesus (and like Jesus) here at work, when I get home and at all my appointments.
Observation: We are all to be held accountable. I know what authority without accountability looks like, and it’s not pretty. I am thankful I have other servants who hold me accountable.
Action: Submit to the ones You have placed in my life to hold me accountable, and be gentle toward those You want me to hold accountable. No room for judgment–just gentle, loving truth-telling when needed.
the words that catch me first are: put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time
Observation: You have put me in charge of people You care for – for your household – Your family.
Action: Today – I am going to lean into not telling but hearing the hearts of those before me in You household – and give them the food you gave me – at the proper time – the time it seems a Kairos time.
Observation: I hear God saying that He is present even at the times when He appears physically absent. His presence is constant. Who I am as His Beloved child and how I am invited to represent Him with compassion and service does not change.
Action: I will move with care through this day, mindful of how I can offer the “food” of the presence and belovedness of Jesus — as I work, play, and parent.
I’ve been at the place where I’ve said God is taking too long, he’s not with me, he doesn’t care what I do anyway, so why am I always trying to do what is good according to him. Those drunkards are having a good time! I thank him for the grace and mercy to nudge me enough so that I hear him whisper I am always with you, and I have given you an assignment. Oh, yeah. There’s a plan and here’s my part in it! I forgot.
That’s what my action is going to be — stop forgetting that! Listen for his ever-present voice. Remember I am part of the plan, I have an assignment, God has things for me to do, and he is proud of and happy with me when I am working with him, not against him. … It matters to me that I make him happy and proud.