Monday, August 12, 2024
I grew up in the evangelical church in the 90s. While the church had many good values, I think their approach to eternity was lacking. I was so afraid of being “left behind” that I think I “accepted Jesus into my heart” about 12 times before I was confident it stuck. I was afraid of going to hell, and it limited my view of what being a Christian really meant. Faith in Jesus was a ticket out of hell card, not a relationship with a loving Savior.
Living with an attitude of fear stunts our faith. We follow the “good Christian” life, but out of obligation and drudgery. We read the Bible to check a box and attend church to meet a weekly quota. We become like the foolish bridesmaids who knew the bridegroom was coming but weren’t eagerly anticipating his arrival (Matthew 25:1-13).
Matthew 25:1-2
1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.”
The wise bridesmaids were living in eager anticipation of the bridegroom’s return, making sure they were prepared to meet him. They took action to ensure they would be ready to welcome him to his wedding feast.
In this parable, there are only two options: the wise and the foolish. So too it will be when Jesus returns for his people.
The foolish say they are waiting for his return, but their lives reflect their lack of faith. They get by, doing only what is good enough like the foolish bridesmaids. Or worse, they behave like the foolish servant in the “Parable of the Three Servants,”(Matthew 25:14-30) who buried the money his master gave him out of fear, rather than investing it.
Unlike the foolish, the wise live out their faith in ways that echo their hope for eternity. They actively seek opportunities to prepare themselves and others for eternity. Like the wise servants, they earnestly invest their talents to further their master’s investment.
We too have a choice. We can live like the foolish and miss out on the joy of our Master’s return, or we can live a life that echoes our hope for eternity with Jesus.
Questions:
What are you doing today that reflects your hope for eternity? Are you investing the talents God has given you in preparation?
Next Steps:
Set aside time to intentionally pray for someone on your top-five card. If you don’t have a top-five card, think of the people who need to know the hope Jesus can bring.
21 Days of Prayer - Day 1
Focus: For God to be Known (1 John 4:10-11)
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your great love for us, that you sent your son Jesus to die for our sins and to reconcile us to you. We praise you for your grace and mercy that are new every morning. We pray for our cities, Lord, that they may be places of peace, justice, and righteousness. We pray that you would protect the innocent, comfort the grieving, and restore the broken. We ask you to fill us with your love, Lord, that we may love one another as you have loved us. Help us to overcome evil with good, to forgive as you have forgiven us, and to serve one another in humility. Help us to be salt and light in this dark world, to shine your truth and grace to those who do not know you. We pray all these things in the name of Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Series Theme Verse:
Hebrews 3:14
For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.
Today’s post was written by Julie Mabus, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Devotional.