“But his master answered and said to him, ‘You worthless, lazy slave! Did you know that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter seed?  Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest.  Therefore: take the talent away from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents’” (Matthew 25:26-28).

Would any of us want to receive the rebuke of being worthless and lazy?  Yet, there are many who are worthless and lazy when it comes to the kingdom of the Lord.  Busy with the things of this world, we forget to be about the business of preparing for the eternal life to come.  One can do both, but we cannot have two masters.  Either you will be the master of your destiny, or else the Lord will be.

The warnings are clear throughout Scripture.  We are to be about the business of living into the life the Lord to which He has called us.  The ten virgins parable was another way in which the Lord spoke of those who prepare versus those who were lazy.  In simple words, we are to be invested in the faith we have been given and live that faith every day that the Lord gives us.  Live into the life the Lord is calling you to live.

Lord Jesus, You know me better than I know myself.  Guide me in the upward call to continue upon the narrow path You have set before me.  In this selfish world, help me to not shirk the responsibility You have given me, but guide me in Your goodness and mercy to do the things that will grow fruit befitting Your kingdom.  Help me each step of the way and awaken me so that I do not slumber through this life You have offered me by grace.  Amen.

“Now the one who had received the one talent also came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed.  And I was afraid, so I went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you still have what is yours’” (Matthew 25:24-25).

There are those who do nothing with what the Lord has given them.  They live for themselves.  We have been created to live in community and to live with one another.  The Lord created us to explore ourselves and by the guidance of the Holy Spirit discover who He will make us to be.  We are not static, but dynamic beings created to become what He will make of us.  Invest in the Lord and invest in yourself.

Lord, I have buried many of the talents that You have given me.  Help me to explore within to discover what You have given me that remains unused.  Guide me into all goodness so that I am willing to learn what I have not yet understood.  Teach me, Lord, and help me to be a student of Your word.  Let my heart seek to humbly learn from You the way life is meant to be lived.  Lead me in the way You would have me go.

Lord Jesus, this world is in constant competition.  I often seek for the sake of number one, meaning for myself.  Help me to live the first commandment, for You, in Trinity, are number One.  Guide me into the life You would have me live.  Guide me into Your goodness and teach me to invest what You have given me so that I may become more like You each day that You give me.  Help me to invest in You and Your kingdom with all that I am.  Amen.

“Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have earned two more talents.’  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master’” (Matthew 25:22-23).

As you can see from this next part of the parable, it is not about seeking to gain the most, it is about doing what you can with what you have been given.  The Lord measures us against ourselves.  What kind of character is growing in You?  By following the Lord and His ways, we each have opportunity upon opportunity to see the likeness of Christ grow in each one of us.

Lord, You know where I am and where I am going.  Lead me according to Your goodness and mercy to continue to run and win the prize.  The only one I am competing with is myself.  The old Adam is lazy and wants everything given to him.  You have given me a new heart that seeks to be like You.  Slay the old Adam and raise the new person so that I learn how to be faithful in all circumstances.

Lord Jesus, my Savior, You are the giver of life.  Sometimes I do nothing and other times I am so busy I do not know which way to turn.  Through all that life gives me, help me to keep my focus upon You so that I may continue to grow by Your grace.  You have invested Your life in me through the cross.  Help me to invest my life in You by taking up my cross and following You.  Lead me this day in the way in which I need to go.  Amen.

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master’” (Matthew 25:21).

Do not mistake this parable as some kind of economic exchange where you will be rewarded for your service.  What can any of us give to God that is not already His?  The diligence of obeying what He commands and putting your heart into every effort will grow in You what the Lord intends.  Being responsible is one of the goals.  If you want something done, look for the busy person.  Be that person.

Lord, I do understand that this is not about a reward system but about learning how to be faithful.  In this world, it is said that if you work hard, you’ll get ahead.  Sometimes that is true, but sometimes it is not.  Help me to work toward the prize of becoming like You.  Help me to invest myself so that I step forward in faith and grow as You would have me grow in the grace and mercy that You give me.

Lord Jesus, You know that I sometimes work very hard and at other times, hardly work at all.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to live into the life which You have set before me.  Lead me to learn from You how to be faithful in and through all things.  Teach me what it means to be covered by Your grace and mercy.  You know what I need, Lord, so grant that I would receive what You give me.  Amen.

“Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.  The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have earned five more talents’” (Matthew 25:19-20).

The Lord gives you what He gives you.  What are you doing with what He gave you?  Are you investing in the life Christ has given you for the sake of the kingdom?  You have been called to become like Christ.  Have you put Christ on?  That is, is your goal seeking to be conformed to Christ?  It is tempting to get into a routine and not live the life to which we are called nor invest our growth in Him.

Lord, You know how I get distracted and seek all kinds of things.  It is fine to do other things, but if I do not give my faith any exercise, it will not grow.  You know where I allow other things to get in the way.  Help me to live into the life to which You have called me.  Guide me out of those things which are distractions so that all the growth in You that can happen will happen.

Lord Jesus, You gave up Your life so that I would have the opportunity to live true life.  Help me to live into the life to which You have called me.  Guide me today to be aware of my circumstances.  Help me not be hindered or distracted by other things.  Through all that comes my way this day, show me the ways in which investing faithfully in You and the way of the cross will grow me in Your likeness.  Amen.

“The one who had received the five talents immediately went and did business with them, and earned five more talents.  In the same way the one who had received the two talents earned two more.  But he who received the one talent went away and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money” (Matthew 25:16-18).

Too many dig a hole and bury what the Lord has given them.  Like some kind of eternal life insurance, they make the initial plunge and then sit on it, moving on to whatever is distracting them.  The proposition of faith is an all or nothing reality.  Either you are all in, or you are out.  Do not live your life hedging bets but live into the reality of the faith which has been given to you.

Lord, You know what hinders me.  You know where I avoid the direction You are giving.  Aid me to live into this life which is forever, investing in my eternal future.  Lead me according to Your mercy and grace so that I become what You intend to make of me.  Help me so that I do not walk the way of the world but walk into the life You have prepared before me.

Lord Jesus, You spoke these parables with great intention.  You intend for me to invest in this life of faith that You have given me.  Guide me, dear Lord, and do not be gentle with the investment You have made in me.  Let me not sit on the things I’ve done but continue steadfastly in the life You are giving me to live.  Lead me always and help me to never stop following where You lead.  By Your grace alone, may I continue to be faithful.  Amen.

“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them.  To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey” (Matthew 25:14-15).

We each have been given the talents we have been given.  What are you doing with what you have been given?  Look to the Lord and let Him be the One who directs what you do with what you have.  We love to compare ourselves to one another, but this is between you and the Lord.  He has purpose in what He has chosen you to do.  Will you live for the purpose that the Lord has ordained?

Lord, You know, as we look around and compare ourselves to others, some have more and others have less.  Only You can teach us how to live with what You have given us.  Guide us in Your goodness to look to You for all guidance and direction.  Lead us according to Your purposes to live into the life for which You have uniquely created each one of us.  Help us to look nowhere else but to You for all things.

Lord Jesus, through the water of my baptism, You called me to follow You.  It does not matter the amount I do, so long as what I do is faithful to Your call.  Teach me what this means so that I may learn how to be faithful.  Guide me into this life of faith.  Continue to be the light that illumines my footsteps.  Keep me from stumbling along the way.  Through all things, help me to continue becoming what You are making of me.  Amen.

“Yet later, the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’  But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’  Be on the alert then, because you do not know the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25:11-13).

If salvation were about works, both type of virgins showed some effort.  But look at the response, “I never knew you.”  Being prepared is not about works, but about relationship.  If one spends time growing in the relationship, there will be evidence through what you do, but it is not about what you do.  The Lord has invited you into a relationship of mutual love.  Come into the life of love the Lord offers and live in His love.

Lord God, You know.  We do what we do for all kinds of reasons.  Sometimes we do not even know why we do what we do.  We need Your salvation to live in the relationship You have offered us.  Lead us according to Your word that Your people may hold fast to the truth You have delivered once for all.  We do not know when our time here will be finished.  You alone can enable us to run the course to win the prize.  We are all in a run for the glory which is ours only in You.  Help us to not stop running but endure to the end.

Lord, I become tired of this world.  There are so many things that are going on around me.  Lead me out of the pit of despair to run the course that has been set before me.  Everything You set before me has a purpose.  Help me to press through so that I may become what You are making of me.  Continuously guide me in the upward call You have given me.  Grant that nothing would hinder the faith You have given me.  Amen.

“However, the prudent ones answered, ‘No, there most certainly would not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’  But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the groom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut” (Matthew 25:9-10).

I cannot prepare for you.  I write these devotions to be prepared, and I share them with You to urge you to prepare, but I cannot do it for you.  My desire is that you be strong in the faith, but I too must go through the daily struggle to be prepared lest our Lord find me asleep.  Even if I do fail, will that keep you from preparing according to the word of the Lord?  We each have our part, and yours will fall upon you, for you alone will stand before the Lord to give an account.

Lord, in this world we look around and too often do what we see others do.  Help me to narrow my focus so that I do what You have shown me to do.  You alone are the author and finisher of my faith.  Continue to lead me and teach me to keep my eyes upon You.  Through all things, aid me to not be distracted by those around me, but to be faithful no matter what may come upon this life here and now.

Lord Jesus, You are the Savior, and I must be saved.  Guide me in the salvation You have given me.  Help me to prepare and in preparing, be prepared for whatever may come.  Lead me in Your goodness and mercy so that I humbly listen to You and heed Your direction.  Lord, thank You for being tenacious with me.  Keep me standing firm in this faith You have given me knowing that it leads me to forever with You.  Amen.

“Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.  But the foolish virgins said to the prudent ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out’” (Matthew 25:7-8).

Are you ready to meet the Lord?  Many say, “I am Christian,” but they are not living the new life they have been given.  They do not prepare to be able to give an account of the hope that is within them.  Others do what they do.  What about you?  Are you taking advantage of, and learning how to live, this new life?  Are you studying to show yourself approved?  Are you praying constantly — beyond just asking for stuff?

Lord, You know where I have a kindergarten-level faith.  Help me to move away from childishness and into a life of faith that seeks You every day.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to not be lazy with this faith that You have given me.  Lead me in the way of life that You intend for me to live.  I do not always know what to do, but You do.  Help me to draw closer to You each day so that I may be ready for whatever may come.

Lord Jesus, You have given us warning upon warning and I see the signs all around me.  Lead me into this life of faith that You have given me.  Guide me in Your goodness and mercy to stand firm in the truth, for You have spoken the words of eternal life.  Help me today to be diligent in doing what You give me to do.  Keep me holding fast to the truth.  Amen.