Hired

“About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered “He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’"

— Matthew 20:6-7

Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King,

In the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, you make the point that there is an inexhaustible amount of work to do for Your Kingdom. There really is no excuse for any follower of yours to be standing around doing nothing. By choosing to follow You, we are in effect hired to work in your vineyard. We are without excuse. We can't say, "No one hired us." For you have laid claim to our lives, bought us with a price, we are Yours. We are now workers in Your vineyard, called and created in Christ Jesus to do good works which you prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).

Lord, may I not be found standing around waiting to be hired. May I not be a man who is found doing nothing all day offering up excuses that no one has hired me. I am hired by You. I am sent by You. I am mobilized and deployed into Your harvest field where there is ample work to be done. Forgive me for moments when apathy seeps in and lethargy takes root. May I live ready to work in Your vineyard, to go where You direct me, and to be found faithfully at work when You return!

In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen!