A Day of Reckoning

[Daily Devotional]

A Day of Reckoning 

     For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have
abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he
hath. Matt. 25:29.  
     If talents are well improved, increased talents are the result. "Unto
every one that hath shall be given." . . . If Heaven's bestowed gifts are
not appreciated and improved as God's intrusted capital--if they are buried
in worldliness, in selfishness--these powers capable of blessing humanity
decrease, and because the God of heaven is not sought after and glorified as
the source of all these precious endowments, He is dishonored, and He cuts
off the supply. In order to increase, to grow in the knowledge of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ, we must put to use by human effort our physical
and intellectual powers.  
     Those who hoard up their talents to rust, unemployed, unimproved, must
not think that such action in any way relieves them from responsibility, for
God holds us responsible for the good we might do if we took up the yoke
with Christ, lifting His burdens, learning more of His meekness and
lowliness of heart day by day. The interest continues to accumulate on
buried talents, and instead of decreasing our responsibility the burying of
our talent only increases and intensifies it.  
     Let the human agent consider the solemn fact that the day of reckoning
is just before us, and that we are daily deciding what our eternal destiny
shall be. The Master examines every individual case, dealing personally with
the talents entrusted by Him. O solemn day of reckoning; that day which will
bring paleness to many faces; that day in which the words shall be spoken to
many, "Thou art weighed in the balances, and found wanting"! It will be an
awful thing to be found "wanting" when the book of accounts is opened in
that great day. . . . Upon the decisions reached in that day depends the
future, eternal interest of every soul. We shall have unspeakable joy, or
unutterable woe and misery. . . . O how Jesus will love to recompense every
true worker! Every faithfully performed duty will receive His blessing. It
is then that He pronounces the benediction, "Well done."  

>From That I May Know Him - Page 326