February 4, 2012

Audrey, Bethany and I had a great day yesterday. I ran 3 on the beach sidewalk (had a weird nerve-knee problem for the first time), we got some sun by the pool, drove to Glendora, then had lunch with Bethany, hung out at her apartment, I talked to her mechanic, we sat in on her opera rehearsal, then dinner at IHOP and drove back to our Holiday Inn in Newport Beach. Today my goal is to relax, rest, and hang out in preparation for tomorrow’s 26.2! We will spend some time on the beach this afternoon. I need to read up on Galloway concerning diet today. Hydration is important, with 6-8 ounces of water every waking hour today.

Matthew 25

The parable of the 10 bridesmaids – 5 had enough oil, 5 did not. Jesus concludes “so you too must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.” (Verse13)

In the parable of the 3 servants - a master gives 5, 2 and 1 bags of silver. The first two invested and doubled the resources. The third one buried the treasure so he would not lose it. The master was pleased with the first two, and angry with the one who hid the treasure. The application of this is clear – use the gifts God has given you to expand the kingdom – take risks, expect increase. Do not sit on the gifts given you, and the level of gifts given is not nearly as important as what you do with what you have.

In verses 31-46 Jesus describes the final judgment. He compares it to a shepherd who separates the sheep from the goats. To the one group, he commends them for feeding, clothing, providing drink, caring and visiting. When they inquired about how they had done this, he said that when they had done it to the least of “these”, they had done so to him. The other group he condemned for not doing so, and when they begged to know when they had neglected his needs, his reply was when they had ignored the needs of the least.

As Wesley UMC in Springfield heads into the spring “Change the World” theme, this final judgment theme can speak to us directly. I always feel the tension of how to care for the needs of people, and to do so in a manner that draws them to Christ. In this illustration of the final judgment, Christ doesn’t focus on how the needy respond to God, but rather on what the servants of God do or don’t do. We have much opportunity in Springfield to care for the least, the lost and the spiritually asleep.

Guide me Lord as I seek to invest completely the gifts you have entrusted to me. Guard me from hiding or trying to preserve any. Open my heart daily to the needs of the poor. I pray for Skip and Tonya who daily live on the edge of survival in Springfield. Launch us powerfully into the spring Change the World theme this month.