THE REWARD OF DELIGENCE: OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL, 1ST MAY 2018

MEMORISE:

 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. Matthew 25:28

READ: Matthew 25:14-28

14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

MESSAGE

God Almighty has called all of mankind to a life of diligence. After He created Adam, he charged him to keep and diligently dress the beautiful garden He bequeathed to him (Genesis 2:15). The Almighty indeed rewards diligence. In Proverb 10:4, He enlightens us on the reward that awaits diligent people:

 “He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.”

The Lord Jesus Christ further drove home the point with the story of a diligent servant to whom his master had entrusted five talents to trade with. He was so diligent that these talents yielded five more talents. When his master returned to take stock of his activities, he was commended and handsomely rewarded. Matthew 25:23 says:

“His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

In this same parable, we also see the direct opposite of diligence and its consequences. The servant with one talent mischievously kept the talent and refused to trade with it. He reward was the loss of his talent and outright rejection from the joy of his lord. On the other hand, the diligent servant who started with five talents gained the talent that was taken away from the indolent servant, and ended up with eleven talents in all.

Beloved, laziness, in whatever guise it may come, is not a Christian virtue. Every child of God must be diligent. In Proverbs 6:6-8, the Lord instructs the lazy to learn from the ant, saying:

“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.”

As a matter of fact, from Proverbs 6:10-11, we understand that penury is the outcome of laziness:

“Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.”

Proverbs 27:23-27 further highlights the rewards of diligence. The Lord promised to bless the work of your hands, not your idleness. Know for sure that faithful is He who promised you this, and He will fulfill all He has said if you diligently play your own part (Deuteronomy 28:1-5, Hebrews 10:23).

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please bless the work of my hands and cause me to prosper in the land of the living.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 8-9;

Hebrew 9:11-28

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE


HYMN 4:  TRUST AND OBEY.

1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

o Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.