One of the things I've enjoyed by reading just one chapter a day is not rushing through passages. Again, I feel like I'm reading a section for the first time in verses 7 - 10:
7 “When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? 8 No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ 9 And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. 10 In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’”Reading this at first seemed a little harsh, yet when I went to my Life Application Bible, the footnote is really well done for these verses where they basically say:
Obeying God is our duty and we should regard it as a privilege.... Remember, obedience is not something extra we do; it is our duty. Jesus is not suggesting that our service is meaningless or useless, nor is He advocating doing away with rewards. He is attacking unwarranted self-esteem and spiritual pride.
Very appropriate and a necessary reminder in our lives.
I love this story of ten lepers where only one of the ten comes back to say thank you.
Happy Friday the 13th have a blessed day!
Several years ago I was on a missions trip to Grenada, West Indies, and was part of a mime team. We had just come in from ministering at a park in the afternoon with children. It was a rest time separately before our evening meal. As I am a visual learner, this Scripture the Holy Spirit revealed to me, Luke 17:7-10, was exactly what we were doing. It was exhilarating to have this brought to my attention. It became alive for me. To serve those at the base, and not expect to be waited upon because we were the visiting team. I observed our two teams, the base training school and those of us there from two community churches for ten days, working side by side waiting upon each other, serving as the Lord led us. We were there to serve the Master, seeking His divine plan for which we had come. But the cream... we served each other. It was so rich, silently serving.
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