Trustworthy Servants of a Trustworthy God

The author of Hebrews calls our attention to the faith of Abraham. Abraham’s faith showed itself in his willingness to depart from his home and leave his kin,  to trust a promise that his descendants would outnumber the stars, and to be willing to trust God to provide even when God asked him to sacrifice the son who guaranteed the promised future. Through all this, a covenant was initiated. 

Moses and his people trusted God to take them from the slavery of Egypt to freedom. God’s trustworthiness was shown over the coming centuries, not only by leading them into a promised land, but into a covenantal relationship that found itself renewed again and again, despite Israel’s infidelities. 

With Jesus came a new covenant in his blood, and a call to his followers to replace any fear they might have with an abiding trust in the Father to give them the promised kingdom. He spoke about having a fidelity that would characterize them as good servants in the household of faith. The hallmarks of this fidelity would be watchfulness for the master’s return, a commitment to guarding the treasures of the household and caring for its members, and an abiding bond among those who serve.

The stakes of being a good servant are great: either to earn the respect of the master on his return or to lose it, to receive the gratitude of a master who would serve them or to see only sadness and disappointment in his eyes.  

Consider/Discuss

• How do you respond to the call to be a trustworthy servant?
• What form does service to the Lord and the divine household take in your life? 

Responding to the Word

Jesus, you have promised that if we are faithful in serving you, as you have been in serving the Father’s will by your life and death, then you will invite us to recline at table on your return and you will wait on us. Help us to find in this promise good reason to serve you.