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Are You Ready?

In recent days I have been reading through Matthew. This morning’s reading was chapter 25. It contains three parables: The Ten Virgins, The Bags of Gold (Talents), and The Sheep and Goats. 

In the past weeks, I have endeavored, with great vigor, to maintain a weekly walking regime. The exercise, along with a dietary shift, is part of a much-needed weight loss and healthy living initiative. I am just over three weeks into this transformation.  My objective is to walk at least 3-4 days per week. This week I missed walking Monday and Tuesday and today was my first day back. My routine in recent days is to read a Scripture passage before I begin my walk, and then various commentaries as I take my morning stroll. Sidebar…When walking and reading from your phone, make sure there are no obstacles on the street, like parked cars, for example, a sudden jolting impact is often inevitable!  

Matthew 25 is rich with spiritual truths, and there is not enough time in this article to pursue each nugget of wisdom. However, I want to look at a few admonitions that stood out for me. The overarching theme of the passage is a readiness for judgment, whether at Christ’s return or our departure from this life through death. In the passage of the ten virgins five were prepared and five were not. In the parable of the bags of gold (talents) two servants were faithful and one slothful. Judgment came to them all. Those who were faithful received commendation and a reward for their good stewardship. The unfaithful servants were reprimanded and cast out. 

As we dig deeper, we understand that in the parable of the ten virgins there is a reference to the faithful, authentic believer/follower of Christ and the hypocrite. Matthew Henry’s commentary described it this way. “Many have a lamp of profession in their hands, but have not, in their hearts, sound knowledge and settled resolution, which are needed to carry them through the services and trials of the present state. Their hearts are not stored with the holy dispositions, by the new-creating Spirit of God.” In other words, there will be some churchgoers who say the right words but lack the regenerative heart that translates into transformed living. 

The parable of the talents (verses 14- 30) reminds us that God expects his children to be faithful servants. In the passage, there were three individuals, one being given five talents, another two talents, and to the last one.  The first two servants were frugal and doubled what the master had given them. The third hid his in the ground, doing nothing with what he was entrusted. Of course, we know the first two servants were commended and the last judged harshly with condemnation. There is so much to learn from this passage, but one prominent theme is stewardship. The master gave each according to their ability’s certain amounts of money with the idea they would create more wealth for his earthly kingdom. God has given each of us certain abilities and He expects us to use them to advance His Kingdom on this earth. We are not to be envious of another who has been given more, but rather use what we were given with prudence for the Kingdom’s sake. In so doing we will not be ashamed at the final judgment.

David Jeremiah says of verses 14-15. “The bags of gold (talents) represent all the opportunities God gives people to serve Him, including their wealth, reputation, abilities, and learning. This parable warns believers to diligently take everything God has given and invest it for His glory as they await Christ’s second coming.” There is an old hymn I recall singing from childhood, written by Will L. Thompson, There’s a Great Day Coming.  Here is the refrain.

Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready for the judgment day?

Are you ready? Are you ready? For the judgment day?

In recent days we have lost several of our dear saints from the Eastern Hills family. I think all of them could answer this question affirmatively. May we continue with steadfastness, as we keep our lamps trimmed and burning, shining forth the Light of Christ in this sin-darkened world.

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FOCUSED

One of the casualties of aging to which I find myself a victim is the dimming of the eyes.  Ecclesiastes 12 counsels the young person to remember God, their Creator, in their youth before the aging process takes over and various faculties, as listed in verses 1-7, are diminished.

Clear eyesight when we are young may be something we take for granted. However, as we age the realization that our vision is not as sharp as it once was takes hold. “Readers” become standard fare for all intricate tasks. Our once keen laser sharp focus is now blurry and in need of help to restore its youthfulness. That restoration is found through glasses or some sort of rejuvenating surgery. Especially in the early stages of this degenerative eye problem we may be able to fake it and get by, but eventually we must relent and do something to correct the problem.

There is a parallel between physical and spiritual vision. “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” was written in the early 20th century. The hymn writer, Helen Lemmel, was strongly influenced by the artist and later little-known missionary, Lilias Trotter. Miss Trotter started off as an aspiring artist but early on felt a call from God to reach the lost. She began her ministry by rescuing prostitutes from the streets of London. Later she went to Africa, without missionary funding, and served for over forty years. While there she penned a poem that would greatly influence the writing of the hymn “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.”  The poem was entitled “Focused: A Story and Song.” 

The poem centers around focusing one’s attentions fully and completely upon God. She writes that Satan knows that if a person uses all their powers of concentration on being led by God’s Spirit, they will have a great intensity and impact upon those to whom they are called to minister. Lilias Trotter, writing in a more formal use of the English language than we are accustomed, shares some timeless insights which could very easily have been written today but with a different accent. She writes: “Never has it been so easy to live in half a dozen good harmless worlds at once—art, music, social science, games, motoring, the following of some profession, and so on. And between them we run the risk of drifting about, the ‘good’ hiding the ‘best’ even more effectually than it could be hidden downright frivolity with its smothered heartache at its own emptiness.”

The “good” hiding the “best” leads us to emptiness.  Could this be true of us today especially as American Christians? Have we sought the “good” while missing the “best”? The chorus of the hymn, which we will be singing in worship this Sunday, says it best.

                Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face,                                                                                                                                        And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

Keith Pate

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