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God is Good
Andrea Lende • May 3, 2021
Matthew 20:14-15
God is Good
You can also listen to the devotion at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/God-is-Good-e105ig0
Matthew 20:14-15
“Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this man hired last the same as I give to you.”
“Am I not permitted to do what I choose with what is mine? [Or do you begrudge my being generous?] Is your eye evil because I am good?”
Jesus was telling a parable about the kingdom of heaven.
His story starts with hiring people early in the morning to work in the fields.
All throughout the day more were hired, even until the last hour of the day.
They stood in line to receive their wages, and to the dismay of those who worked the longest, all of them received the same wage.
You can imagine the ones who worked from morning until night were upset.
They thought a great injustice was being done to them.
However, the owner of the estate told the workers he was a generous man.
It was his money, and he could do with it as he chose.
He chose to be generous.
Did the workers have a just claim?
Were they right in feeling slighted that the man who worked for just an hour deserved the same monetary reward?
Maybe, if we think in earthly ways.
But our God is a heavenly God.
His ways are not our ways.
I felt convicted as I read our verses today because I have felt slighted many times.
I have wanted to be acknowledged as others have been.
I suppose I was looking for praise and honor.
However, I now know the only honor I need is from God.
To be seen as worthy in His eyes.
His love and eternity with Him are the grand prizes.
If we consider the true meaning of the parable, Jesus was trying to show us the generosity of God.
For example, there may be some who gave their lives to serving the Lord.
Those who came to know Him at an early age and were led and guided by Him their entire lives.
They are deserving of the eternity with the Lord.
There are also some who come to find the Lord in their last breath.
They too, are deserving of eternity with the Lord.
It may seem like the ones who served the Lord with their whole lives deserved more.
And in fact, they did receive more.
They lived their whole life on earth in God’s presence and in His power.
God is good.
God is generous.
Today I am thankful for God’s love and cherish His love above any honor this earth has to offer.
May you find that God’s love is the love worth seeking and having for all eternity.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for reminding me You are a generous God. Thank You for reminding me You are good all the time. Thank You for convicting me of my short comings and short sightedness. Forgive me, Lord. Your generosity goes far beyond what my mind can conceive. Help me not begrudge Your generosity to another. Help me, instead, be thankful for all you do for me. Thank You for watching over me and the family You have given me. Thank You for protecting us and providing for us. Thank You for caring for us in every way. You are the God of the universe and God of my heart. I love You, Father. And I love how You love me. Keep me seeking You. Keep me Yours. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM with you My child and you will be Mine for all eternity.
Response: Undeservedly Yours, Lord, thank You most gracious and merciful God.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.