November 26

Morning

Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. — Eccl 9:10 BSB

“Whatever your hand finds to do” refers to the tasks that are within your reach, the ones you can accomplish. There are many dreams in our hearts that we may never see realized. It’s good that these desires exist within us, but if we want to be truly useful, we must not be satisfied with merely dreaming or talking about what we want to do. We need to get to work on “whatever our hand finds to do.” A single good deed is worth more than a thousand bright ideas!

Let’s not wait for bigger opportunities or different types of work. Instead, let’s do the small tasks we find right in front of us each day. We have no other time to live except now. The past is gone, the future has not yet come, and all we have is the present. Don’t wait until you feel more experienced or mature to serve God—start now, and bear fruit where you are.

Serve God now, but take care in how you do it. “Do it with all your might.” Do it without delay. Don’t waste your life thinking about what you will do tomorrow, as if that could make up for the idleness of today. No one ever served God by putting things off until tomorrow. If we want to honor Christ and be blessed, it must be through the things we do today.

Whatever you do for Christ, put your whole heart into it. Don’t offer Him half-hearted, routine service done without thought or passion. When you serve, do it with all your heart, soul, and strength.

But where does the Christian’s strength come from? Not from within themselves, for they are entirely weak. Their strength lies in the Almighty God. So, let us seek His help, act in faith, and after doing all that our hand finds to do, wait on the Lord for His blessing. When we work in this way, our efforts will be fruitful and will not fail.

Evening

For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven eyes of the LORD, which scan the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. — Zech 4:10 BSB

Small beginnings marked the start of Zerubbabel’s work, but no one should despise them, for the Lord had raised up a man who would persevere until the final stone was placed, with shouts of joy. The plumb line was in capable hands.

Here is the comfort for every believer in the Lord Jesus: even if the work of grace begins small in us, the plumb line is in the hands of a master builder greater than Solomon. He has undertaken to build the heavenly temple, and He will not fail or be discouraged until the work is complete. If the plumb line were in merely human hands, we might fear for the structure. But the Lord’s plans will prosper in Jesus’ hands.

The work did not proceed carelessly or haphazardly, for the master builder held a good instrument. If the walls had been built in haste, without proper oversight, they might have been crooked. But the plumb line was held by the chosen overseer. Jesus is always watching over the construction of His spiritual temple, ensuring that it is built securely and well. We may rush, but Jesus exercises perfect judgment. He will use the plumb line, and anything that is not aligned with His plan must come down, stone by stone. This is why many seemingly impressive works fail, and many glittering professions fall apart.

It is not for us to judge the Lord’s Church, for Jesus holds the plumb line. His hand is steady, His eye is true, and He will ensure the work is done properly. We should rejoice that judgment is left to Him.

The plumb line is actively in use, held by the builder—a sure sign that He intends to complete the work. O Lord Jesus, how glad we would be to see You at Your great work! O Zion, your walls are still in ruins! Rise, O glorious Builder, and restore Your desolations to joy at Your coming!