Giving God Your Best

by Stan Hammonds

A preacher I heard when I was a teenager used to say, “God doesn’t require much from us, just all that we have.” These few words made an impression on me for two reasons. First, we don’t really have anything to offer God. Nothing we give him—our time, our money, our worship—can ever add up to what he has given us, everlasting life. However, it is the second aspect of this statement I would like to look at in this article.

We have to understand that our service to God must come from a spirit of complete devotion. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Every child of God must realize that their life is not their own. Paul put it very well in Galatians 2:20 when he said, “...it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” These two passages are very clear; they are not hard to understand, but what do they mean in practical terms? What does being totally devoted to God really mean?

The space available here is not sufficient to cover this question completely, but one way to look at it is from the aspect of effort level. From a physical standpoint, we know that we must put forth our best effort to succeed in our endeavors. Whether we are talking about schoolwork, athletics, or our jobs, even the very young realize that if you want to be successful, you have to put forth the effort. However, the opposite is also true; a lack of devotion manifests itself in a lack of effort, which results in failure.

I suppose it all comes down to this point, how much effort in service to the Lord is enough. If you are looking for me to provide the answer in this article, you will be disappointed; however, ask yourself the following questions and see what conclusions you reach.

Ø        If I give my boss the same effort I give the Lord in worship, would I ever get a raise or promotion?

Ø        If I miss work as often as I miss worship services, how long will I keep my job?

Ø        If I do homework and study for tests the same way I prepare my bible class lesson, what kind of grades would I earn?

Ø        If every pain or illness keeps me from going to school as it keeps me from doing the work of the Lord, how long will it be before I miss too many days to advance to the next grade level?

Ø        If I put forth the same effort in getting better at sports that I put forth in growing as a Christian, would I ever be a starter?

Ø        If I study my playbook the same way I study God’s word, would I know how to execute the plays called by the coach?

Ø        If my children, spouse, or brethren follow my example in service to God, what kind of Christian will they be?

If you answer these questions honestly, you will not need me or anyone else to tell you how much effort you are giving, or should give, in serving God. You will know that you must give everything. Your motto will become, “Whatever I do, I will do it heartily, as to the Lord...” (Colossians 3:23). Just as athletes, workers, and students have different abilities, every Christian has a different maximum effort level as well. The challenge for each of us is to strive everyday to make sure we are doing everything we can to give God the very best we have. Under the Old Law, everything offered to the Lord had to be the best (Numbers 18:29). Although we don’t offer those types of sacrifices today, we must give Him the best of what we do offer, ourselves (Romans 12:1-2).