I'm back! After 2 weeks of silence due to traveling around southeast Asia, and another week after that for recuperating, I am getting back into the swing of things. I realized something really important during my writing interim....it's so easy to break good habits. I had spent nearly 300 sequential days consistently reading my Bible, writing, and praying. And then, after 2 weeks of silence, I hardly even thought about it. I've had to force myself to sit down and read the Word. It's been a struggle almost as fierce as what I experienced when I first started this journey of mine.
I understand now why the Lord has told us to be diligent in waiting for Him. It's so easy to convince yourself that you can let your guard now, that you can slack off. We tell ourselves, "It's just today - I'll read my Bible and pray again tomorrow. Today I'm just too tired; I don't have time." But then we make the same excuse tomorrow. And the next day. And the day after that. And before you know it, months have gone by without you ever cracking your Bible or even saying hello to the One who made you.
I've always thought that the Master (Jesus) in Luke 12 asked for quite a lot out of His servants. He went off for an indefinite amount of time, and his servants were expected to constantly be ready for him, just waiting for his return. They had no idea when he would come back, so they had to live every day as if he was coming that day. Have you ever thought about how tiring that must have been? To live in a constant state of readiness and limbo, never knowing if your preparations would pay off that day or be postponed yet again. It must have been exhausting and taxing.
But the reward that the master gives is more than we could ever imagine. The story in Luke 12 goes on to say that, for those servants who waited for their master with expectation, the master will come back and serve them. Can you imagine? A master, dressed in simple clothing, sitting at his servants' feet and serving them. It is unthinkable. But it is true. God asks for diligence from us for a few years; in return, He will give us rewards for eternity. So be faithful to Him. Don't break your good habits. Expect Him every day...because one of these days, He will come back for you - or you will go to Him. Make sure that you are ready for that day.
I understand now why the Lord has told us to be diligent in waiting for Him. It's so easy to convince yourself that you can let your guard now, that you can slack off. We tell ourselves, "It's just today - I'll read my Bible and pray again tomorrow. Today I'm just too tired; I don't have time." But then we make the same excuse tomorrow. And the next day. And the day after that. And before you know it, months have gone by without you ever cracking your Bible or even saying hello to the One who made you.
I've always thought that the Master (Jesus) in Luke 12 asked for quite a lot out of His servants. He went off for an indefinite amount of time, and his servants were expected to constantly be ready for him, just waiting for his return. They had no idea when he would come back, so they had to live every day as if he was coming that day. Have you ever thought about how tiring that must have been? To live in a constant state of readiness and limbo, never knowing if your preparations would pay off that day or be postponed yet again. It must have been exhausting and taxing.
But the reward that the master gives is more than we could ever imagine. The story in Luke 12 goes on to say that, for those servants who waited for their master with expectation, the master will come back and serve them. Can you imagine? A master, dressed in simple clothing, sitting at his servants' feet and serving them. It is unthinkable. But it is true. God asks for diligence from us for a few years; in return, He will give us rewards for eternity. So be faithful to Him. Don't break your good habits. Expect Him every day...because one of these days, He will come back for you - or you will go to Him. Make sure that you are ready for that day.
Luke 12:35-48
35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”
42 The 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? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 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. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. 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.
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