Today's daily devotion

I Shall Return

And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.”—LUKE 12:42–44 NLT

General Douglas MacArthur was a military adviser to the Philippine government just before World War II broke out. After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and their invasion of the Philippines seemed imminent, MacArthur escaped at the last possible moment and narrowly missed being spotted by the Japanese. He sent now-iconic words back to the Philippine people: “I shall return.”

Two years later he waded into the water on the shores of the Philippines and said, “People of the Philippines, I have
returned.” MacArthur made this promise so the people of the Philippines wouldn’t think he was abandoning them to the Japanese. He wanted them to have hope. And he kept his promise.

In a much greater way, Jesus told His disciples that He would return. He wants us to keep our hope in Him and to be prepared. He expects us to be good stewards or caretakers of the time, talents, and resources He’s entrusted to us. When He returns, we will give Him an account of what we did with what He gave us.

Heavenly Father, help us to remember that all we have comes from You and we are merely caretakers. Show us in what areas we need to recognize Your ownership, and help us to be faithful stewards. Amen.

Adapted from