Is Every Day Too Much?

Whether you can tell from reading these posts or not, they are generally a bit time consuming to write and they require a lot of thought. I would love to take the time each morning to share what I am learning as I read through the Bible. It really might be too big of a goal, but we'll see.

Here we are at the start of a new year. I have been challenged to ask God for a verse for 2009. What I received in response was an entire parable:

Matthew 25:14-30

"For it (the kingdom of heaven) is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey."
"Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. in the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. But he who received the one talent went away and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money."
"Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, 'Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, 'Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. And I was afraid and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.' But his master answered and said to him, 'You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.' For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

I guess that one of the first things that really jumped out at me this time is that the master gave what was his to his servants to use for himself. Does that make sense? Its like he gave them a job to do while he was gone. 'take this money of mine, and go make more money for me.' It was never about the servants. So, I see that in my life, what I have is not about me. Its about Jesus who has given it to me. More than that, its about what I'm doing with what He has given me for Him and His benefit. It really changes the entire perspective on life. Its not about what I do with my money that is best for me - its about what I do with the money He has given me that is best for HIM!!! Its totally different. This is not just about money, and not just about talents. Its about EVERYTHING. Everything that I have and everything that I am is on loan to me from Jesus - it is on loan for one purpose - for him. He has loaned me life so that I can make something out of it for Him. Really, it places much more responsibility on my shoulders. If something belongs to someone else then I am much more apt to take better care of it than if it belongs to me. There is a certain respect for other people's things when you are borrowing them. My prayer in response to this is that I will always be mindful that EVERYTHING I have and am is on loan from Jesus Christ. I pray that I will cherish what He has given me and always take the utmost care with it.

The second thing that really jumped out at me as I was reading this story again this morning is that the servants where to go out an add to what they were given. They were to take what they were given originally and use that to get more. So, for me anyways - God has given me many different things - a Christian family - base knowledge of Truth and the Bible - love for music - etc. etc. the list continues on. It is up to me, to take the things that He has given me and to use them to add to them. Does that make sense? Hopefully to help it make more sense..... God has given me a foundation in right and wrong. I have a Christian family, I have been raised in Christian churches that teach the truth. However, it is up to me to take that foundation and build on it, applying truth to my life and seeking after more, or I can tuck that bit of truth away and never use it or apply it and eventually lose it altogether. The bottom line is that I do not want to look at what I have been given, say, "God is good" and then set it away never to be used again. I want to look at my life, recognize what God has given me and use it to its fullest potential in order to gain things that He hasn't just handed me (like the fruits of the spirit and other things that come from using what God has given me). I do not want to settle for less - I do not want to be lazy - I do not ever want to say, "that's just the way I am." I want to continually push forward and excel in every single area of my life - I want to grow; I want to be challenged; I want to change.

So, as the parable that God has given me for 2009, I pray that this year will be a year to take everything that God has given me and increase it. I want to move forward in every single area - areas where I have been lazy and disorganized - my house - my music - my serving in the church - my serving outside of the church. I want to pour every ounce of myself into increasing what God has given me. Then I want to look back at the end of this year to see all that God has accomplished through and inside of me and I want to praise Him. I want Him to be glorified in everything. I want to show my appreciation for what He is given me by increasing the value and handing it back to Him to make his kingdom just that much richer.