Prayer for the Unshakable Faith on Holy Tuesday
By Alisha Headley
Bible Reading:
“Well done, a good and faithful servant! You were faithful to handing this small amount, and now I will give you more responsibility.” – Matthew 25:21
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On a holy Tuesday, the last Tuesday before the cross, Jesus spoke to the story through parables. Holy Tuesday is the day to pause and look back on Jesus’ final message for the last few days of his earthly life, as his message was intended not only to inspire us, but also to prepare us. Today’s passage tells of the parable he shared at Matthew 25:14-30. This parable calls for us to live and successfully command a life of unshakable faith in our purposes.
The parable tells the story of a master preparing to embark on a journey. Before he goes, he entrusts his wealth to three of his servants. To one servant he gives five talents. Two other and the third. The first two servants go to work and invest in what they are given, double the portion. However, the third servant hides his talent in the ground. When the Master returned, he praised the first two servants, saying, “Well done, good and faithful servants.” But the third? He told the Master, “I was worried that I would lose your money, so I hid on the earth…” (verse 25).
Fear prevented him from staying true to the talent he was given. He was playing small and hid what was left to him. Perhaps he also compared himself to two other servants who were given more talent than he was, or he may not feel well enough to use his talent. The two loyal servants did not compare, compete or question the talent they were given. They used what was left to them. The issue with the third servant was not that he had a bit.
We honestly fear, we don’t feel good enough, and the comparison can also paralyze us. We fear that we don’t know enough, we don’t have enough, or that we are not enough to do what God calls us in our talents. We don’t walk in a steady faith, so we are small and hide our talents, fearing that we are not small or that we are not enough. Today’s passage reminds us that God is not looking for perfection. He is looking for something small or small that values our consistent and consistent loyalty to what he has left to us.
This Holy Tuesday, let’s think about it for a moment: what is God putting his hands now? Do I hide from fear or compare my talent to other people’s talent? Your talent today is a word of encouragement, a calling to forgive and give a gift to that friend or loved one, or to pray more or too big or too small. Don’t bury it like the thirsty servant did. Steward. God sees every unshakable step in faith and rejoices in our faithfulness.
Start taking these small steps of faith knowing that in his kingdom, big or small, every stage is important. Let us show you what we were given. Don’t wait for more talent to stay true to the talent you have been entrusted with today. My heart longs for the day to see my Savior tell me, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Let’s pray:
Dear Lord, I would like to thank you for everything you said in the many parables of Holy Tuesday so that we can cherish them and learn from them in our daily walks. Thank you for letting us know what’s important, even if we feel we’re not qualified. You have specifically chosen us to be part of your kingdom and assigned our gifts specifically designed for us alone. You have weaved us into your plans to expand our kingdom. But Lord, forgive us in the time when we filled what you gave us. Forgive us in an age where we feared we would keep us small, rather than walking with unshakable faith and trust. Give us time to compare. For all the time we compare our gifts with others, please deflect us from the purposes and gifts you designed just for us. Let us reopen our hearts and be true to the little things that come with everyday life. We want us to be good stewards this season with the gift you gave us this season. Allow us to wait for better moments, better gifts, or more gifts to follow you and be faithful to you. We want to be immobilized in our obedience to you. We choose to serve you today, here in the exact season we are, with the exact gifts that gave us in this exact moment. Help me remember that you are a master. And our only job is to stay true to what you entrusted us with. I want to work for you. Not entirely, but faithfully and enthusiastically.
With your mighty name, we pray for Jesus. Amen
Photo credit: Getty Images/Marinella Marcheva
Alisha Headley is a writer + speaker who has the desire to meet everyday women in their daily lives with biblical truths. Stepping into her true calling, she was able to leave the corporate world as a former treasurer VP, loving her family as a home wife + dog mom, while also pursuing her passion as a writer. The healing from the chapters of life consumed with lies she once believed about herself is inspired by directing women to Christ to experience freedom + power to overcome those lies with truths written in the Word of God. In her free time, Alisha enjoys road trips all over the country. Alisha is a proud wife and dog mom living in Scottsdale, Arizona.
You can follow her blog to visit her website Alishaheadley.com and connect with her on Facebook + Instagram.
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