Daily Devotion

January 3, 2018

This year invest what God has given you


“Remember, each of us will stand personally before the Judgment Seat of God.”     Ro 14:10 TLB

 

Judgment day will be characterized by two things: rewards and regrets! Jesus highlights this in the story of three servants who were given talents to invest on behalf of their master. The first two invested well and were rewarded, while the third one buried his talent and was judged accordingly. The first two considered their options, crunched the numbers, took the plunge, and were willing to risk failure. As a result their boss said, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Mt 25:21 NKJV). Now, God doesn’t reward foolishness. So before you make a move, talk it over with Him (See Pr 3:5-6). The third servant, however, said, “I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground” (Mt 25:25 NKJV). He made the most common and tragic mistake when it comes to giftedness: He failed to benefit his Master with his talent. Some invest their talents and give God credit, while others misuse theirs and give Him grief. Some honor Him with “fruit,” while others insult Him with excuses. And how does God feel about the latter? “Get rid of this ‘play-it-safe’ who won’t go out on a limb” (Mt 25:29 MSG). Fear is the opposite of faith, and “without faith it is impossible to please [God]” (Heb 11:6). So this year step out in faith; God won’t let you down. Take a risk; He won’t fail you. Even if you stumble on your way to success, He encourages you to envision the day when you’ll feel His hand on your shoulder and hear the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

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