Laborers in the Vineyard – Limitless Grace

Day 29 – Matt 20:1-16 

“”For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.”” – Matthew 20:1-16 ESV

It is human nature to want to be treated fairly, and a first reading of the parable of the laborers of the vineyard seems to tell the story of a great unfairness. Why should those who work one hour be paid as much as those who work twelve? Yet our spiritual reality is that if God treated us fairly NONE of us would go to heaven! I am so thankful He does not operate by human standards of “fair!”

“There is great proneness in us to think that we have too little, and others too much of the tokens of God’s favour; and that we do too much, and others too little in the work of God. But if God gives grace to others, it is kindness to them, and no injustice to us… God punishes none more than they deserve, and recompenses every service done for him; he therefore does no wrong to any, by showing extraordinary grace to some… Let us never envy or grudge, but rejoice and praise God for his mercy to others as well as to ourselves.” – Matthew Henry

FOCUS: God’s grace looks different for each person.

QUESTION: How has God treated you “unfairly” and given what you do not deserve? Think in very detailed terms about your daily life and journal about the grace God has given you.

The Persistent Widow – Perseverant Faith

Day 30 – Luke 18:1-8 

“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”” Luke 18:1-8 ESV

Despite living thousand of miles from each other, my friend Sandy and I have been praying together weekly for almost a decade. I have filled journals with our prayer requests. I can look back and read requests that were repeated week after week, that have now been answered. I believe that some day the unanswered requests I wrote down this week will also be answered, I just don’t know when!

Because we are stuck in time here on earth, we see things in a linear fashion, and when answers seem slow by our timetable, we can fall into thinking that God is ignoring us. We have no way of seeing the big picture. But the parable of the persistent widow reminds us that God does see us, and He never stops listening. 

It can be hard to persist in prayer though, can’t it? I find it so comforting that Jesus understands our weakness, and he knows that we have a tendency to lose heart. This is why he starts out this passage with an encouragement!

Perseverance in prayer demonstrates our faith in our Heavenly Father, and trust in His goodness and sovereignty.

FOCUS: We can persist in prayer because God is trustworthy

QUESTION: What are you persisting in prayer for right now? Is there something you stopped praying for because you “lost heart”? Pick that prayer request up again this week and offer it to the Lord.

The Pharisee and The Tax Collector – Pride/Humility

Day 31 – Luke 18:9-14 

“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”” – Luke 18:9-14 ESV

The ways of the world tell us that those in power, and those most noticed, are clearly the most important. But God’s Kingdom operates with a reverse structure – the weakest and most humble are exalted!

Proverbs 11:2 says “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” It is wise to humble yourself before God, because His might is greater than all the accolades and power of this world.

And this mighty God cares about your humble prayer. He hears every word, and cares about your every need

“With this example of prayer favourably heard, there is surely no sin-burthened soul on earth who may not take courage in seeking God’s face. One great object of this parable, we may believe, was to suggest some such thoughts, to embolden sorrowful, heart-broken sinners simply to go to God, trusting in his great pitying love.” – The Pulpit Commentary

FOCUS:  God hears His children’s humble petitions.

QUESTION: Do you struggle with pride? Ask God to show you an area of pride in your life and invite Him to do a humbling work in you.