Intentional 21 Daily Devotional: Daily Giving Your Best - Pastor Michel Espinoza

Colossians 3:23

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters."

Christmas is now behind us. All the gifts have been given and received. Its time to start

a New Year. Even though Christmas is over I still like to reflect on the holiday season.

Spending time with my family and friends. Seeing the joy on the faces of the ones who

opened up the gifts I bought for them, the warm feeling I get when someone gives me

a gift. I think its the fact that someone was out shopping and thinking “I bet Michel

would like this” that really makes me feel special. As I continue to reflect on gifts my

thought naturally gravitate to the greatest gift of all — Jesus Christ.

Most people know the famous verse:

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…” Because of Gods great love, He gave us Jesus. The gift is salvation.

We get to spend eternity with our Father because Jesus freely choose to go to the

cross. Now we have access to the gift. Now this gift we receive freely, even though there is a cost to following Jesus. The cost is free but great, to give your life to Him. Really pause to think about what that means. Giving Jesus your dreams, your plans, your hope, your future, your family, friends — everything.

To quote the martyr Deitrich Bonhoffer who says, “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.” This is what it means to give your life to Jesus. To say “yes” to Him no matter the cost. Within this reality, it’s true, we can never repay God for all the things He has done for us. It’s our great privilege to give to Him who gave us so much; so we still give to God.

We give offerings, praise, worship, time, acts of service etc. These are kinds of gifts that truly please God so we give to Him. We are God’s children so think of a child when they give a gift to a parent or an adult. The value of the gift is found in the fact that they put thought and time and effort into it. The fact that they made it with their hands. The worth is mostly sentimental value because it cost something of the heart to the child. What a fitting picture of how we give to the Lord, who owns everything but still do appreciates our gifts to Him.

Our Father in heaven isn’t looking for perfection, He is looking for our best. Our best isn’t measured only when we are in church singing along with the worship band, or sitting nice and quiet in our seats listening to a preacher. Our best is displayed mostly outside the building in the way we live daily. Our best is when we put to practice what Jesus taught. Our best is when we love our enemies or when we pray for those who hurt us. Its when we decide to show patience to people who don’t deserve it. When we show mercy and grace whenever we can in a difficult situation. Our best is telling a friend a hard truth from a place of love. Our best is spending time with our Father in heaven even when it’s inconvenient for us. Adoring Him even when its hard to do so. These are the most precious gifts that we give to God. The value of these kinds of gifts to the Lord truly bless Him.

One of my favorite verses from the Bible is when king David said in 2 Samuel 24:24 “…I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing….” 

I don’t want to give God something that is cheap. I want to be able to say, “Father this is for you, I did my best.”

Engagement: Reflect on areas in your daily life where you know you aren’t giving God your best. Perhaps in how you treat your family, or how you spend your time, or how you live generously. It could be anything the Holy Spirit reveals to you. Pick an area in your life and through a posture of repentance, determine right now that this day you will do your best as if you’re doing it for your Father in heaven. Make a change and give a gift to the Lord that will last into eternity.

Pastor Michel Espinoza