DIVINE APPRECIATION!!

Divine appreciation!!

Verse for Today: Sunday, Novembeer 27, 2011

Matthew 25:21 – His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’ happiness!”

Workers most often have conflicts with their bosses because the bosses expect more from them. Even when they do their best and the highest possible level of work, there is rarely a kind word of appreciation. Bosses often behave like a referee in a soccer field who always find fault and not complimenting. But this is not how our Lord looks at our service for Him. He looks at us and our service objectively and with compassion and kindness. He recognizes what we have done and compliments us and our work. He has no bias towards any of us and would not show any favoritism. He examines our hearts to see our attitude and motives and gives us credit for what we have done in our particular circumstance. He happily appreciates our service for Him and commends us. He also recognizes the toil and hard work we have put together for Him in His absence. He also rewards us with greater services for Him and the opportunity to share in His happiness for the work we have done for Him. Our Lord is not a task master. His expectations from us are reasonable and justifiable. But He is very particular that we employ the gifts He has bestowed upon us in His vineyard. He expects us to employ the gifts and make use of the opportunity He grants us because of our love and respect for Him. He sees our toil, sweat, perseverance, hardship and sufferings while we work for Him and gives us great joy when we would have completed our task for Him. Our Lord is the Lord of encouragement and good pleasure. He tells us like it is and will not hide His good pleasure from us for our service. If someone is not working hard or is lazy, that will also be told by the Lord. He comes to strengthen us to continue to work for Him and that is why He gives us more and more responsibilities here on earth as days go by. Let us take these responsibilities seriously.

Dear reader, are you being treated unkindly by your boss lately? Instead of putting in a good word, is your boss dealing with you harshly? If you are a boss, are you dealing with your workers harshly and cruelly? But these are the ways of the world and its leader who is the greatest task master the world has even known. He keeps on increasing human burdens and tightens the chains of sin on them as days go by. But our Lord is first of all the lover of our souls. He delights in us because we are His and that we work for Him. He takes pleasure to see that we use the gifts that He gives us. It is He who gives us the increase when we employ His gifts for Him. Even then, He comes to encourage us in what we reap for Him from His vineyard. He expresses appreciation for what He has helped us to gain. So if you are discouraged by your earthly bosses or even by the leaders in your Fellowship, do not loose heart because your Lord sees your toil for Him. He sees all that you are doing secretly for Him and will reward you accordingly. He will entrust greater responsibilities with you and will fill you with His joy which will be your strength to keep going. Today it is your prerogative to toil for your Lord with the assurance that your Master and Lord will come soon and deal with your tasks with compassion and love. He will reward you and express words of encouragement about your ministries. Perhaps no one else sees your toil for the Lord today. It is likely that there are people who criticize you unkindly and even find fault with you. But rest assured that your Lord will assess your work with compassion and pour out encouragement on you. You will be ultimately rewarded at the Bema, but He fills your heart with happiness now for all that He accomplishes through you today.

Revelation 22:12 – “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.”

Thought for Today
Our Lord encourages, rewards and shares His happiness with His servants who toil for Him.

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