Text: Ecclesiastes 9:10
By: KAINE, MARVIS
Introduction
The verse, Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” serves as a powerful reminder of our call to diligent and wholehearted service to God and others. It emphasizes the importance of action, intentionality, and reliance on God’s strength. Today, we will explore how we can live out this scripture effectively, focusing on three key aspects: Purposeful Action, Present Opportunity, and Divine Strength.
- Purposeful Action: Moving from Intention to Execution
Scripture: James 2:17 – “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
Many people have good intentions but never act on them. It is not enough for us to conceive noble ideas or make grand plans; we must take deliberate steps to execute them.
Consider Nehemiah. When he heard of Jerusalem’s broken walls, he did not merely mourn; he prayed and then took decisive action to rebuild (Nehemiah 2:17-18; Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies [k]waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.” 18 And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set[l] their hands to this good work.
Application:
Examine Your Heart: What has God placed in your heart to accomplish?
Move Beyond Talk: Let one good deed outweigh a thousand theories. It is better to act on one small thing than to dream of many great things.
- Present Opportunity: Seizing the Time We Have Now Ephesians 5:16 – “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
The opportunities to serve and honor God are in the present, not in the past or future. Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow is not guaranteed. What we have is today.
The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) shows that the servants who acted immediately with what they were given were rewarded. The one who buried his talent out of fear lost everything.
Application:
Do not wait for perfect conditions (Ecclesiastes 11:4 – “He that observeth the wind shall not sow.”). Begin with what you have, where you are, and trust God to multiply your efforts.
Serve God in the seemingly small tasks of daily life—your faithfulness in these will prepare you for greater works.
III. Divine Strength: Relying on God for Power: Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Our might does not come from human effort alone. As believers, we must recognize that our strength comes from the Lord. David’s victory over Goliath was not because of his own power but because he trusted in the name of the Lord (1 Samuel 17:45-47;
45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
Application:
Start with Prayer: Before acting, seek God’s guidance and strength. Commit your works to the Lord. Proverbs 16:3– Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.
Serve with Joy: The joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Find delight in your work, knowing that it is for God’s glory.
Trust the Results to God: After doing your part, depend on God to bless your efforts. “So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:7).
Practical Steps to Doing It with All Your Might
Start Small: Identify one task you can complete today with excellence and diligence.
Set Priorities: Focus on what aligns with God’s will. Avoid distractions that lead to idleness.
Involve God in Everything: Pray before, during, and after your work.
Work Diligently: Approach each task as if serving Christ directly. Colossians 3:23 – “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”
Conclusion
The call in Ecclesiastes 9:10 is not merely to work hard but to work purposefully, with urgency, and in reliance on God’s strength.
As we embrace this instruction, let us remember that our efforts, though small, are meaningful in God’s hands.
Closing Challenge:
What has your hand found to do today? Begin now, without delay, and do it with all your might for God’s glory. Trust that He will make your efforts fruitful.