Sat.’s Devo - Responsibility

Read: Joshua 16:1-18:28; Luke 19:1-27; Psalm 87:1-7; Proverbs 13:11 Joseph’s allotment went to his sons’ Manasseh and Ephraim. Half of Manasseh’s land was east of the Jordan and half on the west side. Their land was the largest of all the tribes. Ephraim’s portion was south of Manasseh’s land west of the Jordan. Both the people of Manasseh and those of Ephraim were not able to drive all the Canaanites out of their land so they made them do forced labor. *** The people of Joseph complained that they had too many people for the amount of land they were given in the hills. But, they complained that the land in the valley was full of Canaanites with iron chariots. Joshua told them that they were a great powerful nation and that they could take the Canaanites even if the do have iron chariots. *** Now, there were still seven tribes who had yet to receive their land. Joshua rebuked them for not taking possession of their land. He told them for each tribe to send out three surveyors from each tribe to bring him a description of the land. They were to divide the land into seven sections and he would draw lots to see who got what land. *** They brought the map to Joshua and he cast lots for the land and gave it out. *** Benjamin was given the land including Jericho. his land included 26 cities. *** In Luke, Jesus entered Jericho, the home of Zacchaeus who was a hated tax collector. Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming and wanted to see him. Since he was short, he climbed a sycamore tree to be able to see. Jesus saw him and told him to come down because he was eating at his house that day. The people criticized Jesus for wanting to eat at the home of a sinner. *** Zacchaeus was so honored he repented immediately and promised to give back all the money and more that he had defrauded from his people. Jesus commented that this was what true repentance looks like. *** Jesus told a parable about a wealthy man who left his home to receive a kingdom for himself. He left his estate to 10 servants, giving them each a mina. He told them to use what he gave them to invest. The citizens of the city hated him and sent a delegation to tell him they didn’t want him to reign over them. *** When he returned he found that the first man had taken his one mina and made 10 more. The master told him because he had been faithful in this small thing, he would make him ruler over ten of his cities in his kingdom. The next man had take his one and made five more. He was commended and given 5 cities. Then another came and gave his mina back saying he knew he would not get anything from making this man rich so he did nothing with it. He was rebuked for not at least putting it in the bank and letting it gain interest. He took the one mina from him and gave it to the one who had 10. *** Jesus then explained that whoever has. more will be given them and whoever has nothing, even what he has will be taken from him. He was saying that if you don’t use what God has given you for the kingdom, you will end up with nothing, but if you use your talents, money, time, etc, to benefit the kingdom, more will be given you. Life is our prooving place. We are all being tested for eternity. *** The master had the ones who wanted him to leave and not rule over them brought to him. He commanded that they be slaughtered. These are those who refuse to want him as their Lord and king. *** Lord, may we take responsibility of the things you put before us. May we learn from this that our lives count for eternity, and may we grow in responsibility and faithfulness.