August 5, 2016
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

THE NIGHT SHIFT

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Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father, I can be so easily distracted from Your way for my life. Forgive me, and place my feet again on Your pathway.

Read LUKE 12:35–48

For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.

[35] “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, [36] like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. [37] It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. [38] It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. [39] But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. [40] You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” [41] Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?” [42] The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? [43] It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. [44] Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. [45] But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. [46] The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. [47] “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. [48] But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. 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.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

“Straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13,14). This must be our ultimate purpose; this must be our daily goal.

I have always admired people like nurses on night duty who somehow manage to keep awake when every atom of one’s body cries out, “Sleep!” The slaves in this story had nothing specific to do except wait through the night, with robes tied back ready for immediate action, wicks trimmed and lamps constantly replenished with oil, for hour after weary hour. Impressive! What a contrast with the manager-slave who felt he had time to do as he pleased, but who underestimated the suddenness of the master’s return (45,46). How much better to be found doing the master’s will (42–44).

 

So how will Jesus find us when he returns? Will he find us constantly wasting time on frivolous (or even sinful) activity, or being about the work of the kingdom, albeit with times of appropriate relaxation? Where is our focus, day by day, during this long time of waiting? It is perhaps only too easy to assume that there’s all the time in the world before we’ll be called to account for how we have lived our lives and treated those under us, but Jesus does not mince his words here. Those with a calling to leadership in the church need to remember that knowledge and privilege bring special responsibility and accountability. From such leaders even more will be demanded (48).

 

The poet John Keats (1795–1821), who died at age 25, wrote: “…I have fears that I may cease to be before my pen has glean’d my teeming brain.” That’s a picture of a man who deeply desires to get down on paper the latent poetry in his mind before it’s too late. This is not to suggest that frenzied activity is best (it isn’t!), but it reminds us that time is short and the Lord will indeed return when we’re least expecting it.

Apply

Spend time with God thinking through how you’re doing with respect to the particular responsibilities he has given you.

Closing prayer

Merciful Lord, my heart’s desire is to achieve the vision You have given me. I trust You.

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