PARABLES - WEEK ONE - DAY ONE
Hello and welcome to your Daily Devos following our Prophet Series at 29:11 Church! Take some time today to read through the scriptures provided, meditate on the lessons learned that are applicable for all of us from this week and journal your prayers. Have an amazing week 29:11 Church!
THEME SCRIPTURE:
16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’
26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant!
— Matthew 25:16-26 ESV
TODAY’S PASSAGE:
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
14 …“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ 16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
— Matthew 13:10, 14-16 ESV
REFLECTION:
Stories are so important to our lives. From the beginning of mankind, the way that we shared our lives and our values were through stories. Even in our modern day lives, our most important cultural moments revolve around stories. We all remember moments where a movie or a tv show became the hot topic of discussion throughout our jobs and schools. We have all sat down and read a book or story that has somehow impacted our lives. The power of stories is something we can’t underestimate it.
Did you know that over one third of Jesus’ words in the Bible were stories. We call them parables, but all parables are, are a story that teaches us life lessons. We can learn so much from the stories that Jesus taught. The parable of the talents is a story of three men that have been entrusted with much. We see each of them make decisions of how to steward and manage the gift that they have been given. With this story, Jesus is teaching us the value of hard work and stewardship.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER:
What can we learn from the stories in our lives? What can we take away from the parable of the talents? Take some time to think and journal about how stories and their meanings have affected your life.
