The reading for Saturday is Matthew 20.
When it is time to read, please start first by praying and thanking God for His many blessings. Be specific.
Next present your requests to Him. Ask Him for whatever you want and need.
Third, ask Him to guide you in your reading, so that you will hear his message for you today.
After you read, record your SOAP observations and then listen for three minutes. Set a timer and just listen to what he might be sharing. Don’t ask. Don’t thank. Just listen. (You can pray more after you listen, if you like.)
Here is what I heard in the reading:
His generosity sure IS fair
Scripture: Matthew 20:15
Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?
Observation:
Don’t tell me who should get what. I am in charge and know what is right.
Application:
As children, all the way up to adults, we want things to be ‘fair’ and equal. Or, at times, just fair for us.
But just as a child cannot fully understand justice and what is fair, neither can I. And it isn’t up to me to determine someone else’s generosity, especially that of the Almighty King.
Yes, it confuses me that people who do ‘worse’ things than I can get forgiven. But I am still sinning, and sin is sin. And shouldn’t I rejoice that each of us has the opportunity to accept the gift of forgiveness God will grant us through His son?
No, my works for God’s glory won’t get me a shinier halo or a better seat in Heaven, and those who just utter a prayer of confession will gain eternal life with our Father, too. But the things I do for God’ glory tickle me so much… he gives me great joy in serving Him. So that’s the ‘fair’ part. I get this extra bundle of joy and happiness in communing with God.
And we can all be forgiven if we just ask.
And, really, isn’t that plenty fair?
God says it is. And He’s the all-knowing, loving one in charge. So I’m with Him. And I’m not grumbling about it.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for loving each and every one of us and giving every single one of us an equal opportunity to be forgiven. You are more fair than I will ever understand. And I bet you are far more generous than I will ever understand as well.
Thank you for being the model of love and generosity. And thank you for your gifts.
And most of all, thank you for your forgiveness, for each and every one of us. Please guide us in not ‘rating’ deeds and sins, but just to love you, follow you and live as close to how you intend for us as possible.
What about you? What did you see and hear in your reading of Matthew 20? Please share with the rest of us, if you are comfortable doing so. Feel free to leave your thoughts, or a link to post with your thoughts, in the comments. If you do link a post, please include a link in your own post back to this post so your readers can see what others had to say, as well, and potentially join us.
Didn’t start reading or Blogging Through the Gospels with us? That’s okay, join in anytime. Each Sunday evening I post the reading schedule for the week ahead and each evening I post the next day’s reading assignment and devotional. Feel free to jump in where we are anytime and blog or journal along using the SOAP format. If you would be interested in sharing your own SOAP observations on MomsToolbox as a guest SOAP’er, please send me an email using the contact button on the top right. I’ll be in touch soon to discuss the details.
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