S - Matthew 20: 8-16 (NASB)
8 “Now when evening came, the [g]owner of the vineyard *said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, starting with the last group to the first.’ 9 When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a [h]denarius. 10 And so when those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; [i]but each of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day’s work and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go; but I want to give to this last person the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with what is my own? Or is your eye [j]envious because I am [k]generous?’ 16 So the last shall be first, and the first, last.”
O - The principle of the last shall be first is an amazing one that helps us to remember God's grace and his ability to meet us all right where we are. It does not matter if we have been a Christian our entire life or if we came to accept salvation through Christ on our death bed. The reward is the same - absolution of sin, an eternity in heaven with Christ and a reward we don't necessarily deserve. God's grace and provision with his own wealth is distributed to those who love Him and are called according to His purposes, his generosity to those called is unmatched in this world.
A - The application for me is to be grateful for the grace God has showed me and to accept His reward in Heaven that he has bestowed upon me because of his grace and not because of my works. His generosity is a free gift which I must steward well and not grumble over anothers reward being greater than mind or that they received their gift sooner than I did. I should be willing to receive my reward last and rejoice in those who come after me for they have found God.
P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the love and grace you have shown me. Thank you for giving me a wife who cares deeply about me and is willing to care for me unconditionally. Help me Lord to love her like you love her, and to accept her gift of grace and reconcilliation. I pray for healing of my mind, body, and spirit so that I might serve you well and honor you in all that I do.
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