Devotion for 23 October

A brief prayer is offered that you can add to your daily prayers this week. The scripture is from our Sunday Service Bulletin for today.  Today we start a three sermon series on stewardship. Themes and content from the devotion are derived from the LSB pp 1639 and from Constable’s Notes on www.netbible.org.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 25: 14-30 (English Standard Version)

For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Devotion: Return on Investment

The parable in the Gospel text is using money as a metaphor for service in God’s Kingdom. An important quality that makes a servant blessed when Jesus returns is faithfulness. God regards faithfulness as using what God has entrusted to one to advance His kingdom in the world. It talks to making “spiritual” profit with the deposit God has entrusted to each of us. Each of us has a talent or capability to advance God’s kingdom. Consider your faithfulness in terms of time and talent towards God and His Kingdom -- how would God view the return on His investment in you?

We pray: Lord grant me a faithful heart to advance Your Kingdom. Amen