Are you a clock watcher? Do you keep a constant eye on the calendar to know what’s coming next?

What happens when you can’t trust time?

Join us for Days 38-40 of our Lenten readings.

We’re in our last three days of Lent readings. As we prepare our hearts for Resurrection Sunday, these stories from Jesus can lead us into a deeper level of trust despite the unknown.

When we can’t trust time—and we can’t control it or change it or predict it—we can place our trust in God’s goodness.

1. When You Don’t Know the Time, Stay Awake

Read Matthew 24:36-44 for Thursday, Day 38

We just don’t know when some things will happen. There were “whens” that God didn’t even tell Jesus when He was living in our time zone.

When Jesus was telling His listeners about His future coming in these scriptures, He said that no one knew the hour—or even the day—that it would be; only God knew.

But Jesus didn’t leave them (or us) without instruction in the waiting. When you don’t know when something is coming, stay awake for it. Be ready.

In big and small ways, the Master comes to us every day. And He often comes when we don’t expect Him. Maybe it’s through a sister’s email or a baby’s babbling or a spring lightning storm. But if we’ll stay vigilant, we’ll be ready to welcome His arrival.

Trust that Jesus always comes, is always here, and we won’t be caught off-guard.

2. When You Can’t See Him Working, Do Your Work Now

Read Matthew 24:45-51 for Friday, Day 39

Who is put in charge? Ideally, it’s the one who will do the work. The one who is dependable. The one who is responsible. With or without the tangible presence of the boss.

In this story we see the workers throwing a party when the boss is out of town. When the boss shows up—unannounced and unexpected—the workers get thrown out.

We typically do not know when the Lord will act. When will He restore what was lost? When will He bring closure to a distressing situation? When will He deliver us from a difficult season of life?

We can’t know His timing. But we can know this: He will show up right on time. And when He does, will He find us faithful? Will we still be trusting, still be loving, still be holding hope?

When we don’t see God working in our Friday, let’s do our work now anyway. Do the good we know to do. We’ll be blessed when Sunday arrives and the Master’s behind-the-scenes work becomes visible.

3. When You’re Out of Time, Know He’s Coming

Read Matthew 25:1-13 for Saturday, Day 40

This final reading is the parable of the Ten Wise and Foolish Virgins. We’re reminded how easy it is to misallocate our resources, including under or overestimating our time. Five of the young virgins used all their oil quickly and their lamps burned out. But the other five brought extra supplies of oil, and even though the bridegroom was delayed, their candles were still lit.

Timing is rarely up to us.

But even though we don’t know when, we can trust who.

If we keep our eyes on the person of Jesus Christ, knowing that He will always come through for us, we can keep our lamps of hope burning. Even when He’s late in our estimation, we won’t run out of reserves to believe in Him.

Watch Jesus, Not the Clock

Our clocks and our calendars can help us manage our time, but they are inadequate to prepare us for life’s uncertainty.

Whether we’re in a day of walking to the tomb with Jesus or walking out of it, we’ll walk steadier when we keep our eyes on Jesus, not on the clock.

When we rely most on who we know, the when matters much less.

Do you always know what time and day it is? How do you remain flexible with the Lord’s plans? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Lent Parables Days 35 – 37

Two days ago we celebrated Palm Sunday, the day marking Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The people spread branches and cloaks on the ground, cheering for the man who would free them from the tyranny of Rome. Of course Jesus was always clear, he had come to free them from much more. There is an urgency in his parables as he prepares his disciples for the end of his time on earth, reminding them of what is most important.

Day 35: Matthew 22:1-14

You might be thinking this story sounds pretty similar to a parable we’ve already read, and you’re right! (Luke 14:15-24, day 21 of our Lent readings). But in Matthew’s account, Jesus expands the metaphor.

The invited guests snub the invitation (and mistreat his servants like in the parable of the Wicked Tenants) so the King, after avenging the deaths of his servants, opens the invitation to everyone – good or bad. He has made the feast ready and everyone is invited to come and receive.

In verse 11 the King looks around and sees someone who has come to the feast but is not wearing the wedding garment. I appreciated this explanation from Got Questions.org:

This was Jesus’ way of teaching the inadequacy of self-righteousness. From the very beginning, God has provided a “covering” for our sin. To insist on covering ourselves is to be clad in “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). Adam and Eve tried to cover their shame, but they found their fig leaves to be woefully scant. God took away their handmade clothes and replaced them with skins of (sacrificed) animals (Genesis 3:7, 21). In the book of Revelation, we see those in heaven wearing “white robes” (Revelation 7:9), and we learn that the whiteness of the robes is due to their being washed in the blood of the Lamb (verse 14). We trust in God’s righteousness, not our own (Philippians 3:9).

Day 36: Matthew 25:31-40

In today’s parable Jesus talks about the judgement of the nations. When he comes in glory he will divide the nations into sheep and goats. The sheep, representing God’s children (see John 10) are distinguished by their love of others. The goats are set apart, not because they are wicked and do evil things, but because they didn’t take the time to care. Like the man who came to the feast and wore his own clothing, the goats were indifferent and unchanged by the grace of the gospel.

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35

Day 37: Matthew 24:32-34

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. ” Matthew 24:32

When life gets stressful and hard, I find it helpful to burry my head, not in the sand to ignore the world around me, but in the ordinary things of life so I can remember what is truly important. Reading the Bible, playing with my children, washing the dishes, watering the plants. There is comfort in the natural things God has made for us. The simple routine of sunrise, sunset, and all the little things that make up the time in between. As Jesus tells his disciples what to expect in the coming days and beyond, he shows them the fig tree. An unassuming, beautiful reminder that everything follows a natural order, exactly as God has designed it to do.

As we continue our last few Lenten readings and prepare to celebrate our Savior’s resurrection, let’s remember to put on the wedding garment of Christ, take care of our neighbors, and watch the fig tree.

Psalm 32:1 “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”

Thank you for joining us for “How He Loves Us: God Pursues the Underserving.” This is post covers the readings for days 32-34 in our Lenten series, 40 Days with The Storyteller.

Luke 19:12-26 The Ten Minas – Make Good Use of What God’s Given

He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13Calling ten of his servants,a he gave them ten minas,b and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ 14But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. 16The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant!c Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ 18And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ 19And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; 21for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ 24And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ 26‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. (Luke 19:12-26)

Have you ever given someone a gift only to have it come back to you a few years later, unused? You know, the dreaded “regift” that returns to you, when the regifter forgot that you were the original giver?

It’s happened to me. It gave me a really good laugh since I am not one to get my feelings hurt easily! But I have to admit that it did puzzle me a bit. Why wasn’t the gift deemed useful in the first place? It put me on a quest to finding a more appropriate gift for that person the next time around. 

The Parable of the Ten Minas teaches us that God gives each of us a gift (usually interpreted as the gift of life). It is our duty to use our lives and not sit idly, wasting His investment.

We shouldn’t be “regifters” who keep what God has given us, do nothing with it, and then return it to Him unused! Rather, we should invest ourselves in order to reap for His kingdom.

In turn, He will bless us for our wisdom in using our lives for His sake.

Focus: My entire life is a gift. I am a steward of what God has given me; I should use my life for His glory.

Question: Are you investing what He has given you to reap more to the glory of God? 

Research:Why were all the servants in this story given the same gift, as opposed to the differing gifts in the Parable of the Talents? (Found in Matthew 25:14-30)

Matthew 21:28-32 The Two Sons – Rebellion and Obedience

28“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. 32For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him. (Matthew 21:28-32)

When my older two girls were young my husband and I realized this about them: Our oldest daughter, who is serious and responsible, almost always did what was expected even if she grumbled or complained about it. The younger is sweet and fun-loving and had great intentions, but often didn’t do what she was supposed to. (Hello, distraction and shiny objects!)

The parable of the two sons could be told by many parents, right? A father asks his two kids to work. One says no, but changes his mind. The other says yes, but doesn’t go. It doesn’t sound like much out of the ordinary, does it?

But Jesus shows us that what is profound here is God, not mankind. Mankind promises and doesn’t fulfill. We change our minds. We say “no” when we should say “yes.” And we say “yes” when we don’t mean it.

God surprises us by accepting people into His kingdom who don’t look like they measure up. Tax collectors (about on the same level as traitors in the Jewish opinion of the day) and harlots? This is certainly not who the Jews thought would inherit the kingdom. They were inwardly rebellious and looking only at the outward appearance of obedience and not at the heart.

Focus: God is more concerned with the intentions of the heart than on the outward appearances of obedience.

Question: Which of the two sons do you identify with? Why? 

Research: Who did the two sons in this parable represent? What was Jesus saying about them?

Matthew 21:33-46 the Wicked Tenants –  Illustration of Jesus’ Death

33Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. 34When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servantsc to the tenants to get his fruit. 35And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone;d

this was the Lord’s doing,

and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

43Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.44And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”e

45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet. (Matthew 21:33-46)

I’ll be honest with you. This parable is very hard for me to write about– and it’s not because it’s difficult to interpret. This one isn’t. No, Jesus tells an easy to understand story that the chief priests and Pharisees knew was about them. 

This parable is difficult for me because God in the human form of Jesus is talking to His very own creation, telling them the true story of how they had rejected Him, and how they would throw Him out of His own “vineyard,” and then would kill him.

Thinking on what was done to my precious Lord is hard. 

Knowing it was my sin that He bore on the cross is hard.

I just sit here with tears, worshipping the Savior who so willingly shed His blood for me, someone as undeserving as the tax collectors and harlots from the last parable. 

There is nothing I can do to earn my own righteousness. My faith is built up, resulting in God’s glory, because of Jesus, the rejected stone. It is only by Him that I can bear fruit.

As hard as this parable is, it is also beautiful. God pursues us! He doesn’t want us left to ourselves to bear the punishment of our sin. No, He seeks to make Himself known to us.

Focus: Christ, rejected by His own people, loves mankind so much He pursues us anyway. He died for our sin as a willing sacrifice.

Question: How does this parable affect you? Why? What is your heart’s response to God?

Research: Who are the main characters in this parable and who do they represent? How does this enhance your understanding of the story?

How He Loves Us

He loves us so much that He sent us Jesus, Himself clothed in human flesh, to die for our sin, reconciling us to God.

 “Though being in the form of God did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking on the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name…” (Phil 2:6-8)

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.b The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19that is, in Christ God was reconcilingc the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 2 (Cor 5:17-19)

What are your thoughts on these parables? Share with us in the comments or in our community group on Facebook. (Just search for the DoNotDepart Community.) We’d love to hear from you!

Blessings, Ali