GIVE OF YOUR BEST TO THE MASTER
- Kelvin Cheok
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
As a child growing up, I was taught to give much emphasis to academic work and to put in a lot of time and effort in that. Today, this may also be true in some families and societies.
Becoming a Christian was the best and wisest decision I made in my life. Being a child of God and a follower of Christ has indeed shaped my beliefs and values. I am reminded of the need constantly to give of my best to the Lord and to focus on spiritual things and not earthly things (Col 3:1-2). This brings to mind the hymn “Give of Your Best To the Master”, written by Howard Grose in 1901.
The hymn describes how one should give of the strength of one’s youth to the Lord and to the Truth, citing Jesus who set an example. He gave up His glory above and laid down His life for our sins. As such, there is a need for us to give Him the priority, to be grateful, to adore Him, and to serve Him with all our heart.
Paul, by inspiration of God, told Timothy to “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).
Jesus also lived a life of example whereby at a young age of 12, he was sitting in the temple amidst doctors of the law, both hearing them and asking them questions (Luke 2:46). He was also clear that He had to be busy with God’s business (Luke 2:49). The Bible tells us that Jesus was about 30 years old (Luke 3:23) when He began His ministry. I have had regrets from not giving of my best to the Master in my earlier years as a young adult. I’m thankful for God’s mercy that there is still an opportunity to repent of my previous wrong decisions and priorities, and to make it right.
It is needful to give of our best to the Lord because God first loved us (1 John 4:19) and “…I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).
The King James translation reads: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). The New King James translation reads: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
Indeed, the exhortation is to give consistent hard work and effort to be approved of by God. I am yet reminded that the Christian faith is not a dying nor dead faith, but it is an active and living faith which requires hard work and consistent effort on my part. I cannot think that I am once saved and always will be saved. The Bible does not teach that.
Whatever I do for the Lord, I give of my best (Ecclesiastes 9:10), and I also do it heartily unto the Lord knowing that I serve Christ and that I will receive a reward (Colossians 3:23-24).
As mentioned earlier, Jesus is the perfect example for us in all that He did for God the Father. He did what He did, not according to His will but God’s will. He was faithful and true all the way to the cross. Although Peter acknowledged that Jesus is the Christ and son of the living God (Matthew 16:16), nevertheless he denied Christ thrice. He repented and made it right subsequently. We have pledged loyalty to have Jesus as our Lord and Master when we were baptised. It is necessary that if we have denied Him at any point in our Christian life, to repent and make ourselves right before God again.
As how Jesus gave of His best, had victory over Satan and death and is sitting on the right hand of God, we too can have this confidence of victory over Satan, death and look forward to heaven as we give of our best to the Lord!
May we be encouraged and exhorted to revisit our faith in the Lord and to give of our best in His kingdom!
Ask Yourself:
Why is it needful for us to give our best to God?
What should my attitude be in my service to the Lord?
How has my service to the Lord been? What do I continue doing or start doing?
Suggested Answers:
We give of our best to God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).
I will give of my best in whatever I do and do it heartily (Ecclesiastes 9:10; Colossians 3:23-24).
Please find a brother/sister-in-Christ to share and be each other’s accountability partner.