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Matthew 20:13-15 – But [the landowner] answered one of [the workers], "I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?" (NIV 2011)
My dad was a hard-working engineer for most of his life, and he provided for my mother and our large family as well as he could. Like most of his generation, he was a proud man and would rather do an honest day's work for an honest wage than take benefits from the government. There were only two times when I remember him being unemployed, when the manufacturing and steel plants that he worked for were closed. He personally struggled during those hard times, but he got up each day and went out early in the morning to go and look for work. I don't know how he did it, but he managed to maintain our family through those lean times. I think that he took any job that he could find, just to make sure that we were all fed, clothed, and sheltered. To this day, he remains the greatest hero in my life.
Christ's parable about the landowner and the workers in the vineyard used to seem unfair and unjust to me because I could picture my dad toiling for a whole day and ending up with the same wages as the latecomers. However, as the years have gone by, I realize that the parable is not about ownership, labour, or fairness — it's all about the grace of God and how His mercy and love are available for everyone up until the last minute of life. I've tried to live the Christian life for almost forty years, but I know that people who just accepted Jesus as their Saviour forty seconds ago will end up getting the same reward and eternal blessing. It's how God works, and this is why His grace is often called "amazing".
Whoever you are or whatever you've done, please know this today: God's forgiveness, mercy, and grace are available for you right now. By personally accepting Jesus as Your Saviour, you automatically become a child of grace and will be loved by Him forever.
Points to ponder: Am I looking to be forgiven, accepted, and loved? Am I willing to come to Christ to receive these blessings now?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know us completely, and yet, despite our mistakes, regrets, and failures, You are still willing to accept and embrace us, as well as to redeem and restore us to God's everlasting favour and love. Help us, this day, to place our hearts and minds, spirits and lives into Your precious hands. Amen.
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daughter: "Update May 12, 2025: Please keep praying for my daughter. She needs the Lord in her life*** April..." 
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One of my favorite parables John. God bless.
Thanks John for providing a thoughtful and encouraging devotional. Blessings.
Thank you for today’s Daily Devotion, a very good and inspiring message, keep up the good work.
John I pray many said YES!
God bless.
Most people would rather work then take from government. Those words of yours negate your whole article.
“Grace” – such a powerful concept, such a wonderful gift, and so well described in this devotional. Thank you!
Beautiful John
Your father was a very special person as is indeed our heavenly Father.
John Stuart, you are one of my hero’s. I always love your devotions for the depth of them but also for the honesty in them and spiritual truth in them
Thank you for your devotion and it reminded me of my own father as well and how hard he worked for his family. Blessings.
Thank you John.
A good and thoughtful Devotional for today. I too, wondered about this parable, but finally came to the same conclusions which you have.
I like your Points to Ponder. In my case I would have to add, am I now willing to be forgiving, accepting and loving also? I truly hope so.
Blessings.
Hi John,
Thank you for this morning’s devotional. So reassuring that we have the Lord’s forgiveness, love & mercy available to us at any stage of life. I too often think back to my Dad & the struggles he must have endured to keep our family surviving through the tough times of the years of the country’s great depression.
Lord bless you,
(B.C.)
Thank you, John, for your devotional today. I am experiencing attacks from a neighbour. She is always after someone and their reputation.
I pray that I will do as God wishes me to do.
Thank you for this wonderful devotional. It gives me hope although I am very discouraged.
Thank you John.
Your devotional is very inspiring to people like me.
Today, it reminds me how I was like a child, and my father was already old and beat-up as a man. Keeping a family fed was something else. We were a large family, and my father starting working when he was 16.
In those days there were no insurance of any kind. When I was little he had an accident and was laid up for many weeks. Immediately, my two oldest sisters got jobs.
Thank you again for your words.
God has blessed me with a wonderful family.
I look forward to your submissions in Daily.
I have been reading this for over ten years.
There’s always a need some where that can use some help.
It’s writings like yours that keep us going.
All for His kingdom.
Hi John,
As the son of immigrants I can sure relate to your devotion. Thank you for all those good words.
Blessings.