No 24
(Doing good deeds)
There are many things which we can think
of doing in our heart but some we will never do. It is good that they be in our
heart; but if we want be to useful, we must not be content with forming ideas
in our heart and talking of them; we must carry them out : “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” Eccl 9:10 refers to works that are
possible. One good deed is worth more
than a thousand brilliant ideas. Let us not wait for large opportunities or for
a different kind of work, but do just the things we see that have to be done
day by day. We have no other time in which to live. The past is gone; the
future has not arrived; we will never have any other time but the present time.
Let us not needlessly wait to serve God but may we endeavour now to bring forth
fruit. Serve God now, but be careful as to the way in which you perform what
you find to do “do it with thy might.” Do it promptly; let us not waste away our
lives in thinking of what we intend to do to-morrow as if that could recompense
for the idleness of today. No man ever
served God by doing things tomorrow and if we honour Christ, it is by the
things we do today. Whatever we do for Christ, we should throw our soul into
it. We should not give Christ a little idle labour now and then; but when we do
serve Him, it should be with our whole heart, and soul, and strength.
But where is the strength of a
Christian? It is not in himself, for he is totally weak; his strength lies in
the Lord. Let us therefore seek his help; let us proceed with prayer and faith,
and when we have done so, let us wait upon the Lord for His blessing. What we
do will therefore be well done and will not fail in its effect. The Apostle Paul said it best when he wrote “do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31b. He also wrote “behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of
salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2b.
Once the good deeds are done, the Lord may give us the opportunity to “…. give an answer to every man that asketh
you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”
1 Peter