WHETHER we are servants of God or servants of Satan, the reckoning day will surely come for each one of us. The man who traveled into a far country, and who left to his own servants the responsibility of trading with the talents he committed to them, “after a long time” came and reckoned with those servants. Each servant of the Lord must give an account to Him for the opportunities and abilities with which he has been entrusted.
Many an one in our professedly Christian land takes service in Christ’s Name without really asking his or her soul, “Am I one of Christ’s people?” Therefore the first question for each of us is, “Am I still, at enmity to God, or am I one of His people?” We read in Matthew 25:2424Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: (Matthew 25:24) of the unprofitable servant who called his Lord “an hard man.” Now, if we are Christ’s, His love constrains us, and we shall not thus speak of Him. It will be a mournful day when the reckoning time comes for those unconverted people who have taken upon themselves to serve Christ.
The avowed servant of Satan will have his reckoning day. It is a terrible contemplation! All things are recorded in God’s books of our works―the secret sins which never come to light on earth, as well as the open sins which are published abroad, crimes known and unknown will all meet the sinner by and by. “Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some they follow after.” (1 Tim. 5:2424Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. (1 Timothy 5:24).)
We do well to think of the reckoning day, we do well when we live in the view of our Master’s judgment of our work. Idleness He condemns, and no greater waste can we be guilty of than idling away our opportunities. One source of missing opportunities for doing good unto all men, and especially unto those of the household of faith, is dwelling on the memory of happy bygone times. Obviously, this is a snare that is most frequently laid for older Christians, who so frequently regard the past as brighter than the present. It is a woeful mistake for eternity, to sit telescope in hand studying the disappearing forms of joys long gone by.
To him or her who lives for the hour, we suggest as a fitting emblem of such a life the dancing of the day-fly in the sunbeam. Immortal beings were made for an eternal destiny, not to trifle away the present golden moments. A Christian was never made to spend his time like the creature of an hour. Let us keep in view the reckoning day; it is a grand corrective to folly and a great incentive to good.
When the reckoning day comes, how shall the Christian, so often cast down and distressed about his imperfect work for God, stand before the Lord? One thing is certain, the Master will remember for good all that is done simply and faithfully in His Name. Not even the cup of cold water given to a disciple for His sake or in the name of a disciple, will lose its reward. The Lord will hold in gracious remembrance every loving deed performed out of regard to Himself. The reckoning day will be a joyous day for His servants. Yet the greater joy of that day will be the Lord’s, for when He says, “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of Thy Lord,” He will have the brightest portion. A parent’s joy in his children’s happiness is greater than that of the children, and so, only in an infinitely deeper way, will the Lord’s joy exceed that of the servants He rewards.
Keep in view, dear reader, the reckoning day―the day so seldom held continually before the soul. If you are still an enemy to God by wicked works, lose not a moment, but seek His pardon. If you are a true believer, above all else seek to be acceptable to Him, who is the Lord.
“For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” (Matt. 25:35, 3635For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. (Matthew 25:35‑36).)