We have arrived at the heart of the practical mandate of Occupy Till I Come.

The phrase “Occupy Till I Come” comes from Jesus’ parable in Luke 19. A man of noble birth leaves his land to receive a kingdom. Before he goes, he calls ten servants and entrusts each of them with a portion of his resources. His command is simple: “Occupy till I come.”

The word occupy can also be translated, “Do business until I come.”

The nobleman expected his servants to do more than simply preserve what they had been given. He expected them to think, create, solve problems, take risks, and make his resources grow. They were to steward what belonged to him in a way that advanced his interests and represented him well.

And when the nobleman returned, he called his servants to account.

The servants who had faithfully multiplied what they had been given were rewarded with greater responsibility. The one who had buried his resources, doing nothing with them, was rebuked. What had been entrusted to him was taken away and given to the one who had produced the greatest return.

Jesus told this parable because His disciples believed the Kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. He was teaching them that there would be a period of waiting—but it would not be a period of passivity.

They had work to do.

And so do we.

The parable raises profound questions for every follower of Christ:

What has the King entrusted to you?

And what are you doing with it?

What resources has God placed in your hands? Your family? Your abilities? Your education? Your business? Your relationships? Your influence? Your time? Your creativity? Your resources?

How are you stewarding these things for the glory of the King and the advancement of His Kingdom?

This is not a passive mandate.

“Occupy till I come” requires creativity, problem-solving, wisdom, courage, management, leadership, and growth. We are called to develop ourselves so that we can more faithfully and fruitfully steward everything God has entrusted to us.

The implications of this command reach into every corner of our lives.

To understand our divine assignment, we must finally break down the sacred-secular divide.

There is no sphere of life that is off-limits to the Lordship of Christ.

Family. Business. Education. Arts. Media. Government. Science. Technology.

All of it belongs to the King.

All of it is part of our stewardship.

All of it is territory to be occupied for the Kingdom.

What Does This Mean for America at 250?

As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, this question becomes especially important.

The founders did not generally view their political, economic, educational, or civic responsibilities as “secular” activities unrelated to their faith. They understood their lives as existing under the authority of God. Their faith shaped how they thought about government, liberty, human dignity, law, education, and the responsibilities of citizenship.

They understood that there was no neat line dividing what belonged to God from what belonged to the world.

That integrated vision is one the American Church desperately needs to recover.

If we want to see our nation renewed on biblical foundations over the next 250 years, we must stop dividing our lives into sacred and secular compartments.

The question is not, “What part of my life belongs to God?”

The question is, “Is there any part of my life that does not?”

Where Have You Drawn the Line?

Take the “Where Have You Drawn the Line?” reflection in Occupy Till I Come, or simply spend some time asking yourself:

Where have I drawn the line?

Is there an area of your life that you have unconsciously treated as “secular”—something you have never considered part of your Kingdom assignment?

This week, identify that area.

Then consciously bring it under the Lordship of Christ.

Pray over it. Ask God for wisdom. Take intentional action. Invite others into the process. Begin to steward that area not merely for your own benefit, but for the interests of the King.

The divide is a lie.

The commission is comprehensive.

The King is worthy.

Next in this series: Doing Business for the Kingdom—and moving into every sphere of life.

Get Occupy Till I Come and read these chapters prayerfully. Ask God to show you what He has placed in your hands—and what He is asking you to do with it.

For the Kingdom,
Darrow Miller and Friends

Print this page