Dave's Diary

Prayer

Briefly prepare your heart in silence, and ask the Holy Spirit to awaken your sense of anticipation that God is about to speak to you through His Word. Then, before you read, I invite you to pray this prayer based on Psalm 31:23-24

I love You Lord!
Please empower me to stay faithful to You,
and preserve me as I strive to serve You in humility and truth.
Keep me from pride. Keep me strong and courageous.
Cause me to hope in You Lord,
and show me the way I should live today. Amen.

Reading

Luke 12:47-48

This is one of those really tough sayings of Jesus. To understand it, remember that it’s set in the context of a parable about some servants whose master leaves them in charge of his affairs while he is away for an extended period of time. In the parable Jesus astounds His listeners by saying that, upon his return, the master himself will be so overjoyed at the faithfulness of his servants that he will make them recline at the table, and he will serve them. That would have been unheard of!

So far, it was a parable meant to encourage the disciples to faithfully serve their Lord and Master, Jesus.

But then Peter asks a question: ⁴¹ … ‘Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?’

At that, Jesus extended His parable. This time it was told to help Peter and the other apostles see that, although all faithful servants would enjoy the rich rewards of the Kingdom upon their Master’s return, those who were given special responsibilities (v.42) would be held to a higher standard. And that makes perfect sense. Greater responsibility always bring greater accountability.

Jesus really wanted the apostles not to measure their own faithfulness against anyone else’s faithfulness. Each of them needed to take their own responsibilities very seriously and to remain faithful to exactly what Jesus had called them to do.

And each of us needs to do the same. Because that will be the measure to which they (and we) will be held accountable.

I will not be held accountable for how I carried out your calling! You will be. But I will be held accountable for the degree to which I have discharged the responsibilities of my calling.

As Jesus Himself put it: 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. (v.48)

So today’s command is: Stay faithful to the calling Jesus has given you. Don’t ignore it, don’t neglect it, and don’t rebel against it. Just do it!

Contemplation

Please take time to ponder what Jesus has commanded us. Turn this declaration over and over in your mind. Keep it in mind throughout the day and live in step with Your King, Jesus.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ:

• I will stay faithful to what I know Jesus has called me to do.

Holy Spirit, please empower me to remain faithful to Jesus’ calling on my life today. When I seem to be forgetting, remind me. When I am straying, urge me back into line. When I am afraid, give me courage! When I grow weary, strengthen me. Amen.