Daily Devotionals

Dead End Desperation: Tuesday

"So Elijah went and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field. There were twelve teams of oxen in the field, and Elisha was plowing with the twelfth team. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and then walked away." 1 Kings 19:19

When we look at people who God uses in significant ways, it is easy for us to think that their opportunities to serve God came suddenly. It is easy for us to think these people have always been bold in their faith. While this may be true for some, the truth is that most people who God uses have a background of small acts of faithfulness throughout their lives. They chose to be faithful in the small and everyday areas, and as a result, God gave them more opportunities due to their faithfulness every day.

Elisha set an example for us in Scripture of what it looks like to live faithfully right where we are in the situations where God has placed us. God sent Elijah to find Elisha to announce that he would be the next prophet of God to the people of Israel. When Elijah went to find him, he was working in the field, plowing with 12 teams of oxen (verse 19). Now, this was hard, unglamorous work. It must have been hot, physically demanding, and tiring. Yet, despite these things, Elisha served faithfully right where he was. Perhaps that is why he was the next person God selected to serve as a prophet. Perhaps God saw his faithfulness and hard work, placing him in a position to be given this calling from God as a prophet.

Jesus talked about being faithful with the things we have been entrusted with in Matthew 25. He told a story of a man going on a long trip. This man in the story gave each of his servants different amounts of bags of silver. To one servant, he gave five bags of silver; to the next, he gave two bags; and to the last, he gave one bag of silver. The first two servants took that money and doubled the amount they had been given. When he got home, the master was very pleased and said to both servants, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!” (verse 23). The final servant did nothing with the money he was given, and when the master was very upset and extremely disappointed that this servant did nothing. Summarizing His main point in the story, Jesus said, “to those who use well what they are given, even more, will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away” (verse 29). In other words, we are responsible for what we do with God’s gifts. We are responsible for our faithfulness with what He has given us, whether it feels like a little or a lot.

God calls you and me to live faithfully right where we are. Whether we feel like we have been given a little or a lot, how we live each moment greatly matters. Where has God placed you today? What gifts has He given you? May we all commit to faithfulness, serving, and using the gifts He has given us right where we are. 

Moving toward action

Take a few moments to brainstorm. What do you think it looks like for Christ-followers to live faithfully in every situation they are in? Write your answer to this question. Next, think about what it would look like for you to consistently and faithfully serve God right where you are. It may mean showing someone kindness even when they have hurt you. Maybe it means continuing to pray and have a deep relationship with God even though you are personally walking through a difficult time. Maybe it means continuing to serve in church even when it is hard to wake up on Sunday mornings. Write your answer to this question down as well. After thinking about what it looks like to live this way, challenge yourself to take steps to live this out. Ask God to help you as you seek to have an impact for Him.

Going Deeper

Matthew 25:14-30 (NLT)

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’"