When: Saturday, January 19, 2008 12:00 AM to Sunday, January 20, 2008 12:00 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
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Words of Jesus
"For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 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.' 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.' 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.' 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.' 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 did not winnow; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' But his master answered him, `You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.'
Matthew 25:14-30
God in His infinite goodness sometimes sees fit to test our courage and love by depriving us of the things which it seems to us would be advantageous to our souls; and if He finds us earnest in their pursuit, yet humble, tranquil and resigned to do without them if He wishes us to, He will give us more blessings than we should have had in the possession of what we craved. – St. Philip Neri
Abba, Father, Lord God, today Jesus' parable of the Talents drew my attention, after reading about how spoke to Samuel about how Saul was the one to be king; and how Jesus spoke to the scribes of the Pharisees about His purpose. As with all of Jesus' parables I am learning that they are His living words, and read over time can be interpreted differently. Today I see this parable as never before and I am reminded that Your gifts; physical, mental or spiritual are given to us to be used to help others and to fulfill Your purpose for us. They are not ours to be kept to ourselves, we are to put them to work, to nurture them and expand them, and it is never too late. There is only after, after they are gone, taken away. So I need to focus more, listen better and pray more fervently. O Lord that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory; that Your hand would be with me to keep me from evil and above all keep me from causing any pain. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19;<../vbible/search.asp?abbr=_1Sam&ch=9&bv1=1&ev1=4&bv2=17&ev2=19> 10:1<../vbible/search.asp?abbr=_1Sam&ch=10&bv1=1&ev1=1>
1 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abi'el, son of Zeror, son of Beco'rath, son of Aphi'ah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth; 2 and he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he; from his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people. 3 Now the asses of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, "Take one of the servants with you, and arise, go and look for the asses." 4 And they passed through the hill country of E'phraim and passed through the land of Shal'ishah, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Sha'alim, but they were not there. Then they passed through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them. 17 When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, "Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall rule over my people." 18 Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate, and said, "Tell me where is the house of the seer?" 19 Samuel answered Saul, "I am the seer; go up before me to the high place, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind.
Psalm 21:2-7<../vbible/search.asp?abbr=Ps&ch=21&bv1=2&ev1=7>
2 Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withheld the request of his lips. [Selah] 3 For thou dost meet him with goodly blessings; thou dost set a crown of fine gold upon his head. 4 He asked life of thee; thou gavest it to him, length of days for ever and ever. 5 His glory is great through thy help; splendor and majesty thou dost bestow upon him. 6 Yea, thou dost make him most blessed for ever; thou dost make him glad with the joy of thy presence. 7 For the king trusts in the LORD; and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.
Mark 2:13-17<../vbible/search.asp?abbr=Mark&ch=2&bv1=13&ev1=17>
13 He went out again beside the sea; and all the crowd gathered about him, and he taught them. 14 And as he passed on, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. 15 And as he sat at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were sitting with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
One Walk 