Author: Jimmy Gunn

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 25:14–30 (day three)

²⁵And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.

Following God is going to cost us something. We see that here in Jesus’ parable as he describes the efforts the first two servants did to double the master’s talents. We are not sure what they did to double the talents, but I am sure that it cost them in some way, shape, and form (time, energy, personal resources, etc). On the other hand, as we see with the third servant, the money does not double if just left alone.

I am most aware of this “cost” in my parenting. God has given my kids to me and Ashley to steward well. Each day that we have with them is filled with “teachable” moments where I can show them God’s Way. Now, I can choose to be vigilant and be a good steward of that time with my kids and family, which often costs me something (time, energy, etc.), or I can choose the easy, lazy way out (and sometimes do). The lazy way is a selfish way to live. It puts “me” at the forefront instead of God. It puts “me” over whatever God has entrusted to me.

Sin leads us to choose “my way” instead of God’s way. However, following God and choosing the “cost” is worth doing over the lazy (sinful) way. As you read through this scripture during the week, ask God to search your heart for where you have chosen the lazy way out of following Him instead of the way that might cost you something. How is God calling you to steward what He has entrusted to you?

Re:Verse passage – Genesis 1:26–31, Romans 8:18–22 (day three)

²¹that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:21)

The Chronicles of Narnia has always been one of my favorite book series. On an almost daily basis, I am reminded of how C. S. Lewis describes heaven, or the new Narnia, in his book, The Last Battle. Lewis attempts to describe the new Narnia as if someone was looking at a beautiful scene of nature in a mirrored reflection of what was truly behind them. They could see a reflection or a copy of what was true, but not the true scene itself. He goes on to write:

The difference between the old Narnia and the new Narnia was like that. The new one was a deeper country: every rock and flower and blade of grass looked as if it meant more. (The Last Battle, pg. 162)

Romans 8:21 reminds me that the nature here on this earth that I love so much to be in is not the way that God intended. God’s creation, too, was subjected to the ripple effects of sin after the Fall. As a result, we see God’s creation as a faded reflection of what He truly meant it to be.

I long for the day when we get to see God’s Creation in the way He intended. Not merely a corrupted version, but the vibrant, beautiful, and very good Creation that God made when it, too, is saved from the effects of sin. May we be found as good stewards of His Creation until we see it meaning more!

Re:Verse passage – 2 Corinthians 8:1–9, 2 Corinthians 9:6–11 (day three)

⁵and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.

In verse five, Paul reminds his readers that before the people of the Macedonian churches gave anything, they first submitted to God and to His will. If they did not start there, I am sure that their giving might not have been so noteworthy or commendable. They first submitted to the Lord and to the work of the Church, allowing God to use them fully for His glory.

The Lord points out here through Paul’s letter that He does not care about the size of what we give. He cares about the attitude of our heart when we give. The churches in Macedonia were commended as an example of how God’s grace abounds and makes up for human limitations that arise (2 Corinthians 12:9). The churches gave faithfully despite their circumstances, and God blessed them with abundant joy.

In trusting and relying on God, the Macedonian churches also allowed for God to provide for them in such a way that they could give beyond their ability. I am by no means a math genius, but I do know that, typically, finances/resources in usually must be greater than finances/resources out. God’s math does not work that way! When we fully trust and rely on God with our finances and resources, it makes room for God to be glorified even more through His provision and work in us.

Now, here’s the tough question for us: where is your heart on giving to the Lord? Have you submitted fully to Him or does a part of you hold back?

Re:Verse passage – 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Romans 12:4-8 (day three)

⁷A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial:

One of my favorite Vacation Bible School lessons for our kids came a few years ago with Spark Studios. Our main point that week was that we are created by God on purpose and for His purpose. It is a lesson I find myself repeating to my own kids and to the kids of our church as often as I can. Each of us, adults included, needs to be reminded that we were made by God on purpose. Everything about us was meticulously thought through and intricately designed to make us, us. Nothing about us was an accident or a rush decision. That includes the gifts and talents that God has given us.

We are to be good stewards of these gifts and talents. It does not honor God or His working in us to sit on the side and never figure out how to use the talents and gifts that He purposely instills in us. Paul reminds us of this also in Ephesians 2:10. We were created in Christ to do good works, which He prepared ahead of time for us to do (paraphrased).

Today, take an assessment of your gifts and talents. Are you using them to be beneficial to the Kingdom of God? Are you using them for good works that glorify your Creator and point others to Him? Do you need to step off the sideline and utilize your gifts and talents differently?

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 5:15–17 (day three)

15Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

I have an hourglass on my office desk that serves as a reminder to me to put into practice what Paul is saying in this verse: “Make the most of your time.” Now, I don’t turn it over and time out the tasks I do or even really use it, but it serves as a reminder that I have a finite amount of time that God has given me on this earth. The hourglass is a call to action for me. It is a visible reminder that I cannot be apathetic about the time I have but must be wise with how I use it.

This call to action permeates everything about my life. I cannot be apathetic in my time as a father but must be diligent to lead my kids with the “teachable moments” of our days. I cannot be apathetic with my time as a husband but must engage in loving and serving my wife in whatever ways those situations call for. I cannot be apathetic about my time as a worker but must manage my time appropriately to accomplish the tasks that need to be done.

This list could go on and on, but the point is the same. God calls us to be diligent in following Him with our time. It is a call out of apathy into action. What areas of your time need to be redeemed from apathy today or this week?

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 24:1-10 (day three)

1The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it.

The Psalmist begins this psalm with a declaration that the Lord is sovereign over all things. That’s a great place to start anything. It orients our reference point to the fact that everything belongs to God, and we are simply caretakers and stewards of that which He has given to us for our time on this earth. If everything the earth contains belongs to Him, then we actually own nothing. We tend to think of stewardship in terms of money, but it is so much more than that. We are called to be good stewards of many things, and I am excited to dive into this together.

As we collectively orient our stewardship reference point on this declaration of God’s sovereignty, may we remember well that our purpose is to glorify the Lord with all that He has blessed us with. God has called us to be good stewards of our time, relationships, finances, all of creation, our talents, our bodies, and so much more. The list could go on and on. Today, spend time orienting yourself to the frame of reference that everything is already God’s, and that you are simply a steward of what He has given to you. Is there anything in your life that needs confession and redemption back to His purpose?