Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Luke 19:15b-16 Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. The first one came and said, "Sir, your mina has earned ten more.
LET US EARN EXTRA MINAS FOR OUR KING
Something that further inspires us as God's redeemed people to serve the Lord faithfully with our "minas" is the realization that when He returns He will review our use of them. The man in Jesus' parable, after doling out his minas to his servants, went to a distant land and was appointed king. Then he returned and summoned his servants to find out what they had gained with the money. When Christ our King returns He will be interested to see what we did with the Gospel treasure He gave us. He will ask: "What did you do with the Good News that I, the Son of God, came to earth in love to redeem fallen mankind? Did you share it? Did you put your light on a candlestick so others might be see it and be drawn to Me too? Did you utilize the serving gifts I gave you, the encouraging gifts, the teaching gifts, the leadership skills, the blessing of material wealth?" (Christians all have God-given gifts for use in their King's service. cp Rom 12:4-11.)
May our love for our Savior who won for us the crown of glory in heaven, spur us on to faithfulness in our use of the gifts He's given us. Let us pray for grace to be like the servants who used their master's minas profitably. Let us guard against spiritual laziness, as illustrated by the unfaithful servant. When summoned by his master he said: "Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow." This servant is a type of those today who look on serving Christ as a burden and working for Him in the church as drudgery. Their eyes are blind to the merciful goodness Jesus showed them in willingly suffering the pangs of hell on the cross to redeem them for His eternal kingdom. They act as though the Lord will not return to "settle accounts."
The Lord preserve in us a childlike trust in His Word, a steadfast love for Him, that prays: "Beautiful Savior, King of Creation, Son of God and Son of Man! Truly I'd love Thee, Truly I'd serve Thee, Light of my soul, my Joy, my Crown." And just think! What a joy it will be to be able to say on that great Day of Reckoning: "Look, Lord, here are extra minas I earned for You. Here is a soul I won for You, a child I trained up for You, a church member I encouraged in the faith for You, a missionary I helped send out for You."
