What Jesus Did! 'Living Under the Deadline' — Luke 16:3-7

Saturday, September 19, 2015

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"Later, the manager thought to himself, 'What will I do? My master is taking my job away from me! I am not strong enough to dig ditches. I am too proud to beg. I know what I will do! I will do something so that when I lose my job, other people will welcome me into their homes.' So the manager called in each person that owed the master some money. He said to the first man, 'How much do you owe my master?' The man answered, 'I owe him 8,000 pounds of olive oil.' The manager said to him, 'Here is your bill. Hurry! Sit down and make the bill less. Write 4,000 pounds.' Then the manager said to another man, 'How much do you owe my master?' The man answered, 'I owe him 60,000 pounds of wheat.' Then the manager said to him, 'Here is your bill; you can make it less. Write 50,000 pounds.'"
— Luke 16:3-7 NLT
Illustration of Luke 16:3-7 NLT — "Later, the manager thought to himself, 'What will I do?"

Key Thought

How does living under a deadline impact you? If you are at all like me, your most productive days of work are always the days right before you leave on a trip. You know you have to get the important "stuff" done so you don't let the less important "stuff" get in your way or distract you. In Jesus' story, this man has a deadline. He is going to have to devise a strategy for how to live knowing that a deadline is approaching quickly. We, too, live under a deadline. Jesus is coming soon and we need to live each day with that sense of significance and focus.

Today's Prayer

Father God, please give me a clearer sense of what time it is in the world and in my life. Help me feel the sense of urgency I need as I await the glorious coming of Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Ephesians 5:15-18
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
  • Matthew 16:27

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About This Devotional

What Jesus Did is a one-year devotional guide through the gospels, using one short passage each day and following the Gospel in consecutive order. Each devotional consists of a passage, reflection and a prayer which opens up the day's scripture and shows how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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