Much Received

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. 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. 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. 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.

Tommy's Thoughts:

We must live our lives always watchful for Christ’s return, working diligently for the extension of His kingdom and obey His commands to us. By following Him closely, we’ll be given greater opportunities and responsibilities to use the gifts He has given us to carry out our duties in the world.

“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.” (v48)

The verse shows that God will not hold us responsible for gifts He has not given us, but for those He has given us: resources, talents and understanding, we are responsible to use them well and effectively. If we have yet to know or think about this, we need to seek and pray to Him today, asking Him to show and reveal it to us.

Dear Father, thank You for Your gift of grace- my salvation and forgiveness, though I do not deserve them from You. Thank you for loving me unconditionally, though I disappointed You so very often with my lack of trust and disobedience. I pray that You’ll guide me to trust You more in everything and obey Your teachings everyday.

Lord Jesus, teach me to use all the gifts You has given me effectively: always try and help others in their time of need and pray for them in Your name. In Your precious name I pray, Amen.


Bee's Thoughts:

Yes, God's given talents are for His purpose. Example, some people have great talent in designing website or houses (like Tommy). So one question they may ask is "How may I use this talent for God's purpose?" Maybe to help a Christian organization design its website, or maybe help the third world nation build houses as outreach?

Whatever it is the more talents God gives us the more He expects from us. We have to live in such a way knowing that one day we have to give an account of what have been given to us.

Dear Lord,
Sometimes I feel so tired by work and just want to drop everything and go to sleep. Yet I thank You for Your gift of perseverance, that I can go on to do my devotion with You.

I have no talent, except the ability to persevere in the things I am entrusted to do, be it at work or personal.
I have no talent, except the ability to be patient and listen to others who share with me their problems.
I have no talent, except a childlike faith in You and my friends whom I have not met.

I pray that I will continue to exercise these gifts for Your glory sake. Amen.