Talents

What better way to begin than on Labor Day with a few thoughts about labor. For whom do you labor?

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body more than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much more than they?" (Matt. 6:24-26)

"For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And 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." (Matt. 25:14-15)

What ability have you been given? What is your talent? We've each been given something that makes us unique and that uniqueness has a place in the kingdom of God. Many of us are given this talent and we are to go into the marketplace and do business. (Matt. 25:16)

But some of us have buried our talent. (Matt. 25:18) We have many excuses for doing so but all of them amount to one reason, fear. Fear takes many forms and one of the most prevalent is doubt. We doubt because a.) I don't believe in myself, or b.) I don't believe the marketplace wants me, or maybe c.) I don't believe God will do this for me. All three of these are excuses and what you are really saying is "I don't believe God." And that is your choice.

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose ..." (Deu. 30:19)

The kingdom of God is at your hand, as close as your breath. It is in your mouth. (Deu. 30:14) What do you truly believe?

God acts for us, but never without us.

"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;" (Heb. 3:1)

"There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. (Heb. 4:9) Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest ..." (Heb. 4:11)

Happy Labor Day