Month: September 2024

Luke 16:8-9 (NIV)  The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly.  For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.  I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

Luke 16:8-9 (MSG) Now here’s a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager!  And why? Because he knew how to look after himself.  Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law–abiding citizens.  They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits.  I want you to be smart in the same way – but for what is right – using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you’ll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior.” 

Observation

These verses were always a bit confusing to me.  I didn’t understand why Jesus told the story.  Reading these verses in more than one translation helps.  Jesus is encouraging “using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival…not complacently just get by on good behavior.”  He is not endorsing the methods of the bad manager (cheating or stealing), but, rather, is encouraging His people to be as quick, adaptable and innovative in overcoming adversity and barriers we encounter while staying within moral and legal bounds.  Jesus is asking us to view challenging and changing times as opportunities for growth, a time to examine current methods for effectiveness and creatively devise new uses for existing resources. 

Moving with changing times and cultures – finding the way to use the latest resources for God’s advantage, and allowing the Holy Spirit to take us out of our possible, comfortable box – can be difficult for anyone.  It is soul-shakingly tough for those of us who find our security in traditions, established practices and measuring our own (or others’) spirituality by accepted conventions (outward appearances or performance of established rituals or exercises – the complacent “good behavior”).  Jesus spent His entire ministry shaking the souls of the established religion of His day by confronting the traditions and practices that were the barriers to true worship.  He is the best example of being spiritually streetwise in allowing the Holy Spirit to live in and through us.

Impact on Me

Well, I have come to understand that change is going to happen whether I welcome it, like it, want it or agree with it.  Now that I am a great grandma, I have had many opportunities in both family and secular settings of experiencing, evaluating, sometimes embracing and always navigating changes – some making things better and some not so much.  Sometimes I grumbled, resisting change, and sometimes I viewed them with great hope.  I learned through years of experience that my way – or the way I always have done it – is not always better and usually does not take advantage of amazing new resources that I will gladly embrace after I learn how to use them.  Ideas that seem impossible, ridiculous, or foolish to me may be wildly successful (e.g., the Pet Rock which made someone a millionaire or modern social media influencers who don’t actually do or produce anything of value).  In this parable, Jesus is teaching me to be constantly on the alert to His way, which may seem new to me, but is rooted in the unchangeable nature and plan of our Father God.

I have learned that the Holy Spirit is the source of all innovation, the perfect planner, has insight into each and every heart, and is able to blend the old with the new in perfect harmony – if I will let Him be in charge.  He wants to school me in “creative survival, (how) to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you’ll live, really live.”  The world can do all the superficial changing it wants but the spiritual bare essentials never do.  So, when challenging times come, I read His Word, listen, pray and get ready to step out in faith – whether it feels natural, comfortable, attainable or completely out of my strengths.  Never let it be said of me on That Day that I just complacently got by on good behavior!!!

Devote

Father God, Lord, Creator of all, I bow before You and worship You.  May I embrace the changes that are still firmly rooted in Your eternal nature, Your unchanging plan.  In this world, I want to be a good listener, walking the exact path You have laid out for me.  By Your Holy Spirit fill me with creative ideas and an openness when times call for new methods and approaches that fulfill Your will and purpose.  May I stand firm and faithful on the old ways when that is what You require.  May my legacy in Your service be that I followed well, loved well, served well and finished well.  On That Day may I hear from Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful  servant.  You are a woman after my own heart.  No complacency to report”.  In Jesus’ name, make it so.

Colossians 3:22-24; 4:17 (JBP)  Slaves (employees), your job is to obey your masters (bosses), not with the idea of currying favour, but as a sincere expression of your devotion to God.  Whatever you do, put your whole heart and soul into it, as into work done for God, and not merely for men—knowing that your real reward, a heavenly one, will come from God, since you are actually employed by Christ, and not just by your earthly master….4:17 A brief message to Archippus: God ordained you to your work—see that you don’t fail him!

Observation

Archippus gets an admonishment here and a passing more affirming mention in the book of Philemon.  I don’t find him mentioned otherwise in the New Testament and I don’t think he is someone who is generally recognized.  This verse stopped me this time because I suspect I might understand why Archippus was called out by Paul.  Because of the subject of these two chapters, I am speculating that Archippus might have been unhappy or discontented in his work.  Haven’t we all been there at some time?

The reason could have been unhappiness brought on by fear because of the threat to life and liberty which Christians faced.  Paul was evidence that imprisonment with the threat of death was a real possibility. It could have been the possibility of failure because he was assigned to a role in ministry that he was ill-equipped for or otherwise under qualified to do in his estimation. It could also have been frustration based on a feeling that his efforts were without impact because he was not seeing the results he expected.  He could have felt his time, effort, gifts and anointing were being wasted in an insignificant, secular or non-visible job while his heart ached to do something which appeared to have more eternal impact. I don’t suppose we will ever know for sure, but, whatever the reason, it must have been obvious enough for Paul to call him out to be content, submitted, faithful and to follow through in the place and position which God ordained for him at that moment.

Impact on Me

Sad to say, if these were the motivations for Archippus, I understand and must substitute my name for his in Paul’s admonition because these types of fears and frustrations all passed through my mind during the years I worked in a secular job.  I suspect they are common to us all and challenge us to find out exactly how much we do trust God. Being content, submitted, faithful to and patient with God’s plan and timing for me was much easier for me to promise to do than to consistently actually do and be.  I am subject to my performance-based upbringing, in a society where visible, measurable accomplishment equals success.  The ache in my heart was to be in full time ministry.  Little did I understand that every Christian’s ministry and witness is 24/7 regardless of where God assigns one.

I worked for over 20 years in a full-time secular job and, while it was a good job, good company, good boss, it’s time and attendance requirements limited my ability to follow my heart in ministry.  I brought this before God regularly, trying to convince Him to consider my plan or change His timing, and, when I was done, He graciously brought someone into my office who needed prayer or encouragement or some other dose of the loveliness of Jesus.  It is then that the Holy Spirit graciously reminds me of Paul’s words to Archippus and I knew that they were meant for me, too!  I was reminded that where I was is where God placed me for such a time as that to fulfill His will and purpose and, if I could be content, submitted, faithful and patient, He would give me the desires of my heart at the perfect time. So, I endeavor to remember that I am employed by Christ wherever I may be and need to put my whole heart and soul into whatever He has asked me to do, trusting that He is using me even when I don’t recognize it. 

Devotion

Lord, You are God of both Heaven and Earth, Almighty, Everlasting, Faithful, Promise Keeper.  Help me in the power of the Holy Spirit to be a faithful and consistent doer, not just a promiser.  Where I am weak in commitment, understanding, follow-through, rise up to be strong in and through me.  Mold me, shape me, change me through Your wisdom to embrace whatever You have for me to do wherever You place me to do it.  Make it so, Lord, in Jesus’ name.

2 Tim 1:11-12 JBP  It is this Gospel that I am commissioned to proclaim;  it is of this Gospel that I am appointed both messenger and teacher, and it is for this Gospel that I am now suffering these things.  Yet I am not in the least ashamed.  For I know the One in whom I have placed my confidence, and I am perfectly certain that the work He has committed to me is safe in his hands until that day.

Observation

We can forget when we start to judge our efforts by the world’s standards, settling down into what we consider possible based on past experience or human limits, that creation, all power, victory and knowledge of the future, everything that has been and ever will be, all rests in our God and that everything is safe in His hands.  We see the disarray around us and feel as though things are out of control, morality is falling through the cracks, times are desperate.  The prophetic words of Isaiah and Jeremiah seem to be suddenly relevant to our times.  Because we have His Spirit and life working within us, we want to fix things, restore godliness in our culture, make people wake up and smell the coffee (The lovely fragrance of grace and salvation in Christ), to draw them out of this present darkness into His marvelous light.

So, we get busy doing all that is humanly possible to make it so.  In our good intentions, we can forget that when He decides that a thing will be done, it is not an “if” but a “who, how & when” question.  He has THE plan that will succeed (no question here!) and has offered to let us partner with Him in the implementation.  Our participation may require sacrifice (setting aside our own plans, giving up our own rights, investing inconveniently and generously of our time/talents).  His directions may leave us baffled at times because they seem to lead in the wrong direction or along a serpentine path.  If He asks us to be the “who” in a venture and we set off on our own and in our own strength to do it, we will fail His plan for our participation in THE plan even if we gain human praise for our accomplishment and form of success in the world.  Our God will seek and find someone else who will listen and obey whatever He asks to accomplish His eternal purposes.

Impact on Me

I should be wise enough by now to never set out without soaking my next efforts in prayer and submitting my plans to the Lord.  I want the witness of my life, my words, my actions to be always sharing the Gospel.  I want to live by, “Share the Gospel.  If necessary, use words.”  I want my life to demonstrate why being in Christ is better than anything the world can offer.  I do not want to limit what God can do with my obedience, allowing His goodness, kindness and grace to season all that I do.  Nonetheless, I don’t always take the time to listen well and sometimes get drawn off into what is good to do that keeps me from what I am called to do. 

How do I discern the difference between what is good to do and what I am called to do?  How do I avoid being distracted from my specific part in God’s plan by filling up my time with so many good things that I neglect the necessary time alone with God and His Word so I can hear how and where He is asking me to devote my time?  It is a fine balance.  I serve several ministries at church, attend Home Group, do my morning devotions, spend time in prayer daily.  Still, I need to submit my time and efforts to the Lord, allowing Him to be my scheduler, my supervisor, my time manager.

Devotion

Lord God, Ruler of Heaven and Earth, Waymaker, I worship You.  I place my confidence in You, “For I know the One in whom I have placed my confidence, and I am perfectly certain that the work He has committed to me is safe in his hands until that day.”  By Your Holy Spirit, work in me the patience and wisdom to submit all of my days, all of my efforts, all of my words, all of my planning to You.  May I be faithful to complete the work You have assigned to me.  I want to marinate what we do in prayer so it will be saturated with the Holy Spirit and full of God-flavor in every bite.  Help me have the patience and faith to take the time for soaking, waiting, allowing for gradual change, never becoming discouraged by what I see.  May I absolutely trust He Who holds everything safe in His hands, insisting that You lead and I follow.  In Jesus’ Name, make it so, Lord.

2Timothy  4:6-8 JBP – As for me, I feel that the last drops of my life are being poured out for God.  The glorious fight that God gave me I have fought.  The course that I was set I have finished, and I have kept the faith.  The future for me holds the crown of righteousness which God, the true judge, will give to those who have loved what they have seen of Him.

Observation

On this journey, God gives each of us a different race to run, call to fulfill.  Whether we are a runner or part of the support team, our part is key to winning the prize God has set before us – individually and as the Body of Christ.  For Paul, the race was an obstacle course full of highs and lows, joys and sorrows, public ministry and prison isolation, heavenly victories and earthly defeats.  That was his race, his call.  There were so many others whose names we do not know who supported his ministry, brought him encouragement, preached the same Gospel in obscurity because they were pursuing their race, following their call – obeying God.

My former church had a focus statement, a goal on which to set our sights.  Some might call it a mission statement.  It was, “Follow Well, Love Well, Serve Well.”  We used “well” to allow for the grace of God to pick us up, dust us off, and set us on course again when we confessed and repented for the trips and falls of life.  Our life is a journey – mapped out by us or on a course set by God.  Which one is up to us.  However, we should not be intimidated or feel inadequate by comparing our race to any other.  Obedience is better than sacrifice.  Spend the time to get God’s plan for you.

Impact on Me

The secret for me is to discern and be content with my race, my call, and, then follow well, love well, serve well and finish well in fulfilling the role God has assigned to me.  This is so much easier when the roles and responsibilities are clearly expressed, as in a secular job description.  However, that is not the way God usually does things for me.  I have been led out of my comfort zone into the unknown only to find that Jesus goes with me and brings the Holy Spirit to equip and support me.  So, why do I hesitate when God invites me into the next scary place?  Shouldn’t I get it by now?  Did I just trip and fall on the road of life again?

As I pick myself up and dust myself off, I am reminded by my traveling companion that finishing is the goal, not the order I cross the finish line.  I don’t believe that God is concerned with us being first because He is not performance-based.  However, I do believe that He is concerned that we finish well the course He has set before us.  The first and last finisher of a marathon or Iron Man competition receive a recognition medal for finishing.  I love how Paul describes his recognition award for finishing his race – “the crown of righteousness which God, the true judge, will give to those who have loved what they have seen of Him.”

Devotion

Lord God Almighty, Father, Savior, Helper, I worship You.  I want it to be said of me that I followed well, loved well, served well and finished well.  I step out in faith with a trembling heart not because I doubt You, but, rather, because I doubt my ability to hear You clearly and be bold to continue the race You set before me no matter what it costs.  Oh my, let it be said of me by my Lord – that all my life, my efforts, my words were fired with loving what I saw of You!  Lord, I need Your help to run and finish this race You have set before me.  Help me to know when I am doing well.  I need to know.  Make it so, in Jesus’ name.