Caught Sleeping

“Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.” Luke 12: 35-36

My neighbor has a lot of horror stories about her house help. One would hide pasta and spaghetti sauce and other goodies in a box hidden in their laundry area. It was covered with old bottles and other recyclables. On her day off she would bring the box with her in a taxi. Another one would tell all her companions that they were not fed, and that my neighbors were super strict until the other helpers would leave one by one. The two  they have at present are quite pleasant but they spend a lot of time sleeping. The daughter of my neighbors came at 3 in the afternoon, and after some time of knocking and ringing the door bell, one helper came out, and she obviously woke up from a nice nap. 

In Luke 12, Jesus tells us that we are not to be like that, caught sleeping or it will not go very well for us. He says we are to be ready for His coming at any time, even in the second or third watch. If He finds us alert, we will be blessed because He Himself shall wait on us at table. 

A few days ago, a man I know died from cardiac arrest. It was very sudden. I am sure we know people who have left us without warning. That is why we have to be ready. We never know when it is our time to go to our real home. Jesus tells us that if we have “girded our loins and lit our lamps” waiting for Him, He will lead us to a feast, a banquet table. 

We are Jesus’ friends but He also teaches us that we should learn to be servants. When God created us, He gave us a purpose, and He put that in our hearts. We also have a calling, and that’s what we have in our hands. If we want to be good stewards of what He has put in our hands, our gifts and talents, our resources, our time, we need to use it all to fulfill God’s purpose for us. 

Lord, may I be a good servant and use what I have in my hands to fulfill what You have put in my heart. 

Original painting altered using Prisma app.