Daily Readings and Thought for September 26th. “BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL”
Today’s chapter in Luke (19) first records the conversion of a Tax Collector as Jesus enters Jericho – this man “received him (Jesus) joyfully” [v.6] His declaration and his actions demonstrate his repentance – but others were grumbling “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” [v.7]. This leads Jesus to declare, “”Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” [v.9,10]
How few seek salvation today! They do not see themselves as “lost” – indeed, so few know there is anything to be “found”! Then Jesus tells a parable as he nears Jerusalem “because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.” [v.11]
We sense we are living today at a time when “the kingdom of God” will very soon “appear.”
There follows the story about “ten servants” who are each given the same amount of money – “ten minas” and told to ‘Engage in business until I come.’ [v.13] Then when he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business.” [v.15]
One has not used his ‘minas’ and is condemned – but the others are told, “Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten/five cities.’” [v.17]
This is a simple parable – and its’ meaning is clear. May our Lord one day (soon!?) say to all who are reading this – who also absorb and mediate on the Scriptures they read, or hear read, each day, and who are then living their lives by “doing business for their Lord, according to their talents, hear their Lord say, “’Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have …”