August 8 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Matthew 25:14-23:

¹⁴For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
¹⁵And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
¹⁶Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
¹⁷And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
¹⁸But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
¹⁹After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
²⁰And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
²¹His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
²²He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
²³His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Devotional

The parable of the talents should be familiar to us. Just as in the parable the master distributed talents to his servants, to the one five talents, to the other two, and to the third one, to every man according to his ability; so our Lord and Master has bestowed upon us, his servants, his goods. Notice, they are not our goods, but our Master's. We as servants are responsible to our Master as to what use we make of his goods. Now, what goods have we received from our Master? In the first place we have received his Word; and secondly, with the Word his grace and his Spirit, the Spirit that leads us into all truth, that shows us the true doctrine unto salvation, that enables us to do the will of God. Jesus says of those the Father has given him, "They have kept thy word." Paul exhorts; "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhorta­tion: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness." Peter says, "As every man has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." This applies to all in the various relationships of life, to parents and children, masters and servants, teachers and pupils, rulers and subjects. They must keep the word of God, that is, believe it, confess it, and live according to it in their every day life. To him who has done that, the Lord will say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant ... enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

Prayer

O God, make us faithful in the work Thou hast given us to do, in the place where Thou hast placed us. Forbid that others should be led astray by our words or our example. Help us always to magnify Thy grace. Grant that others through us, by Thy grace divine, may be brought to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. Help us to be faithful unto the end. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: John 17:6; Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Pet. 1:12; 4:10; Matt. 25:21.

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