Enter Into The Joy Of Your Lord

"Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord" (1)

As Jesus sat with His disciples on the Mount of Olives, He shared with them insights into the future and the end of the world. One of the parables that He told them was as follows. "The kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.

"Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

"So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' His lord said to him. 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' His lord said to him, 'Well done good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.

"Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' " (2)

The Lord gives us talents, not to use selfishly, but to be a blessing to others. And as we use our talents in service for others, we are blessed and our abilities increase. A friend of mine once said, "If the Lord asks you to do a job, He gives you the ability to do it. And if you perform it faithfully, He blesses you for doing it. What more can you ask?" Our Lord provides the opportunities, He provides the resources, He provides the talents and He provides a special blessing to those who faithfully serve Him. With the Lord, "all things are possible to him who believes." (3)

Enter into the joy of your Lord!

1. Matthew 25:21.
2. Matthew 25:14-25.
3. Mark 9:23.