So you also, when you have done everything

.... you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty' (Luke 17:10). As I come to the daily readings day by day, I ask the Lord to show me what He would have me think about and meditate and blog on. When He pointed out this teaching, I told Him “I don't want to do it.” But I have told Him many times that I will not say “no” to Him. And so it is! It strikes me that for each of us, there are likely things about Christianity that we like, and things we don't. This for me is a don't like, but shall we, as some kind of consumer of truth, shop for the truth we like, and discard the truth we don't? If we do, it will no doubt come back to bite us! Paul could say that he had not neglected to proclaim the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27), and I too must not either for myself, or on this blog.

Jesus in this teaching references the current practice, that a servant, having worked the field all day, would still be expected to prepare the master's supper before he got his own. In this day and age we would likely sympathize with the servant if he was want to be resentful at such expectation. But Jesus asks “Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?” He answers “I think not!” If we get caught up in looking at this in terms of fair business practices, we will miss the point. It is more about what we expect from God for out doing what what we should. Do we expect God to applaud and reward us for not murdering anyone, or for not committing adultery? In other words do we think that our good behaviour places some sort of obligation on God? How often have I heard that people expect God to weigh their good and bad works. But the unpalatable truth is, that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).

Calvin's commentary on this teaching is worth quoting “It is an argument drawn from the less to the greater; for if a mortal man is permitted to hold such power over another man, as to enjoin upon him uninterrupted services by night and by day, and yet contract no sort of mutual obligation, as if he were that man’s debtor, how much more shall God have a right to demand the services of our whole life?” We are so used to hearing of the love of God and of the Grace of God, and I thank God for these things, but within the whole council of God we must not neglect His severity (Romans 11:22). And in these days when we are being called back to humility (2 Chronicles 7:14), is it incumbent upon us to face the reality that He is God and we are not. The Psalms put is this way “Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 00:3). It is we who are in His debt, not He in ours.

Father, when we pick and choose what we want to believe, we are essentially trying to make You in our image. We likely have all done it from time to time. Help us Lord to embrace the whole council of God and, especially at this time, teach us to walk in true humility. Thank You for the Grace that we so easily over emphasize so as to take it for granted. We repent this morning Lord, I do, in Jesus Name Amen