Fervent
Do not be lazy in diligence, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
- Romans 12:11
“Give 110 percent effort!” For many, that statement reminds them of memories of a coach or a teacher exhorting them to give their best effort to some youthful endeavor. While we all understand the meaning of that statement, it really isn’t possible to give more than 100 percent of anything, since we only have 100 percent of ourselves to give.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatever your hands find to do, do with your strength….” Whatever we do, whether it be at work, in our homes, caring for our families, or worshipping God, He desires that we give it all we have. Giving less than our best will surely result in getting less than the best in return. And if doing things halfway becomes a habit, failure will eventually follow.
When a worshipper brought a sacrifice to the Lord in the Old Testament, it had to be the best, without a blemish of any kind. The priest had the responsibility to inspect the offering to see that it was spotless. That was the standard. God is holy, and deserves the very best, whether it was a lamb given at the tabernacle or a sacrifice of praise given in a church service. This standard also applies to our work, our fellowship and whatever we do at the direction of a high and holy God. He has given us His very best—the Lord Jesus Christ—as a sacrifice for our redemption. Let us give Him our very best in our service to Him.
In Romans 12:1-2, Paul urges the church at Rome to take their normal, everyday life and present it to God as an act of worship. What a thought! You can take whatever task you have to do that day and present it to Him. You can offer Him your business, your interactions with your family, your home life, your ministry, your career, your work in the community, or anything that you have to do and give it to God as worship. I will never forget the day I came home and found my wife, Joni, weeping as she was washing dishes. I asked her what was wrong, and she said nothing was wrong. She just realized that when she was accomplishing what most people would consider a menial task, it was actually worship to God, since she was fulfilling part of her life’s purpose.
Lord, You satisfy us in the morning with Your steadfast love. We rejoice and are glad for all our days. Thank You for loving us the way You do. Amen.
Further Reading
- Romans 12:11
- Ecclesiastes 9:10
- Romans 12:1-2
