Lord, praise Your Name.
Let Your glory be made manifest and Your Name be lifted high.
Above the names of rulers and kings.
Above the names of the idols in our hearts.
May we be faithful with that which You left behind for us, that we can display You.
That we can carry with love Your character.
Find joy in our lives as we bear fruit, may we honour You as we represent You.
Let us take a look at a few scriptures on how we can be faithful.
We look at Luke 19:11–27 and Matthew 25:14–30, the faithfulness of servants. These are two very different stories, but they ring with a familiar tune. That which we are left with, be faithful. What did we do with what we were entrusted with? Even when we suffer, even when we do not see the end, what are we doing with what He left us with?
In Luke we see an equal distribution among ten servants, while in Matthew we see a disproportionate one. Whatever we have — be it salvation and the forgiveness of sin, which we all received, or gifts that are not equally shared — be faithful.
So being faithful is not about how much we hold, but what we do with what we hold. And this faithfulness is meant to be lived out with joy.
We are called into the joy of the master. We see the character of Jesus Christ, and we are called to respond to this character as Christians — to love as He loved us. Being with Him is the greatest joy we could ever experience.
Let us be filled with joy. Not because we look at our earthly situation, but at Him. Our work, our faithfulness, displays that our end goal is the treasure found in Christ. We do not find joy in our earthly wealth but in Him. We still feel loss and sadness here — that loss is still very real. But we have a joy beyond that. A joy set up and found in Christ.
Let me show you what this can look like.
Imagine an adventure into the Fish River Canyon. You have a fixed goal: help the others in your group, enjoy each other’s company, and see parts of the earth you can praise God for — the rock formations, the layers, small green stones, animals, birds, insects, and fish. Then something rough happens. One night a mouse finds its way into your backpack and helps itself to your food — a feast for this little critter. The next morning, as you pack up, you realise you’ve suffered a loss. You have far less food, and there’s no replacing it out here. But the group can carry each other’s loss and help cover it. Even though everyone now has less, the goal of the hike is not lost. In fact, it becomes a chance to help one another and grow a bond that outlasts the canyon itself. Imagine the joy at the end of the journey — joy mixed with what was carried — as you all gather again. A feast filled with laughter that outweighs the loss of the past. That very loss became part of the hike’s success, even if it made no sense at the time.
This is what it means to carry a loss without losing the goal.
We in this life might not always understand our pain, but if our goal is beyond the welfare of this life, we can rest in our Lord. Place your treasure with the Lord, and it will show in your life. We see this as an important part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7).
Even when we know this, even when we win a victory filled with joy — sometimes the waves crash over us. We suddenly feel overwhelmed again. Being tempted with darkness is one thing, but do not relent. Do not mistrust the goodness of God. Focus on God — we have all felt the grasp of darkness as it gnaws at our heels.
Lord, help us to remember that we placed our trust in You.
When the thunders threaten us, let us remember that You are wrapped in lightning.
Lord, when we see our lives wisp away before us, and ashes fall from our hands,
remind us that You are eternal and will never leave us behind as orphans.
Lord, I sat in darkness with my life flashing away.
As I beheld the race of life parade medals of glory to its winners, I sat alone.
As I called out to You, I strained and heard only silence.
As my eyes squinted to see beyond the greyness, I saw a faint sight —
a frightening sight of loss and pain.
I preferred to see nothing for now. But You called up my head.
You called my ears to hear Your voice.
You called my name, and I saw Your face, shining in character.
Beyond my life You call for me. At my side You are my strength.
You make Your home in me.
You are the way, You are the end.
With You I want to be forever.
Glory to Your Name.
Let all of my life be for You and for Your Name.
Every loss and every gain, to You be the honour and the glory.
With my eyes I see You, and with my heart I want to carry Your character. I want to bear fruit for Your joy. No longer do I yearn for myself, but for You, O great King and God.
Amen.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:21