Hans Sangtoki Bible Reading: Luke 17:7-10
“So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘we are unworthy servants, we have only done what was our duty’.” (Luke 17:10)
Like the Israelites in the wilderness, we are quick to forget God’s abundant grace to us and quick to moan and complain before God. Not long after being freed from slavery in Egypt, the Israelites muttered, ‘let’s go back to Egypt. The food is better there. We are starving here for God sent us to die in the wilderness with no food’. Likewise, after receiving the lavish grace of salvation, renewed hearts and lives, we groan and complain that the Christian life was not what we desired.
We complain about God’s good plans and ways for our life. We moan at the work God has entrusted us to do for HIs kingdom. We dream of returning to our former life to indulge in our selfish desires and sins. We are broken and insolent servants who have forgotten what grace is.
When faced with all the hardships of ministry and living a godly life, we must confess that we are unworthy servants. God is working in us and through us giving us the best life we can have — a life being made holy, being drawn closer into sweet everlasting communion with Him. This is something we totally do not deserve.
We are sinners, rebels before God. God was our enemy, and His full wrath was meant to be cast onto us. We deserve to be left to die living in our sinful ways. We were to be led to punishment as we laughed our days away unaware of our heart’s own hardness. We never deserved the grace to know God, to be snatched out of the path to destruction.
Yet, God has done this for us. He rescued us out of the pits of our sin. He did the impossible and worked good into our hearts. He had mercy on us and forgave our sins in Christ. He justified us before the Father and reconciled us with Himself. And now He is cleansing us, teaching us what it means to serve Him and enjoy Him forever.
Yet, we groan at our current circumstances. We complain that our burdens are too heavy to bear. We want to give up on the race we have been called to run. Look towards Christ and what He has done! Fix our eyes on the perfector of our faith who endured the cross for the joy set before Him — to be seated at the right hand of God, saving souls and bringing His kingdom to fruition (see Hebrews 12:2). After all this, confess towards God in humility, ‘I am an unworthy servant’.
Lord, forgive us when we forget Your grace. It is an immense privilege to be called Your children, to be adopted into Your family. It is a great grace to be called Your servants. We are broken sinners, yet You loved us so much that You continue to transform us into holy God-glorifying people. Forgive us, Lord, and have mercy on us, unworthy servants. In Jesus’ name, amen.