Dear Friends,
We hope this week's devotional will encourage you in your spiritual walk. We give thanks to Major Dr Dean Smith, Director of Learning and Teaching, and Senior Lecturer in Theology and Philosophy, for writing this devotional. You are welcome to share this and include it in your church newsletters if you wish; we just ask that you please give credit to NTC and the author. Thank you!
Luke 12: 32-40 (NRSVUE)
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Watchful Slaves
35 “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36 be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes during the middle of the night or near dawn and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
39 “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he[a] would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Devotional
In my last class for the trimester we discussed the topic of eschatology - last things. We considered the idea of the now and not yet of the Gospel and the importance of maintaining a balance between the two. Too much focus on the needs and gains of the present can lead us to lose our sense of direction and purpose while too much focus on the 'not yet' can result in the loss of the sacred 'now'.
The reading from Luke challenges us both personally and as the Church, not to lose our telos or purpose. In the lead up to today's reading the parable of the rich fool sets the scene for our lesson. The rich fool was so focused on laying up treasure in the present that he overlooked the need of adding to the store of treasure that does not decay or wither and die. Those of us involved in ministry have to be reminded from time to time to take the long view - the Kingdom view. We see the tension here. We must be diligent in sowing and reaping but always ready for the Master's return. We don't know when that will be but we do know that life can turn on a dime.
My daughter told me about her husband visiting his regular medical clinic only to find that his regular GP was unavailable to see him. Andy asked the doctor who saw him why he was no longer seeing patients. The doctor informed Andy that one of the doctors in the practice had suffered a heart attack at work and died there at the consulting rooms. Andy's doctor on that same day quit the practice and medicine for good.
I see this as an eschatalogical moment that can happen to any of us at any time. We might call it a wake up call when we are awoken from our slumber and recognise what is important in life and set a different direction. I am not suggesting that we all quit our jobs. I think the moral of the story is that we must not lose sight of our future hope that gives meaning to our present actions. In the words of Jesus, we must be ready for when the Master returns.
Prayer
Lord, help us to remember that we are Kingdom people and that we are not living and working for temporal reward but for something more lasting that gives depth and value to each present moment. We confess that there have been times when we have lost sight of the Kingdom and its values. Orient us again toward the Kingdom this day, this month and this year we pray, Amen.
Dean Smith, PhD (Director of Learning and Teaching; Senior Lecturer in Theology and Philosophy)