Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might—Ecclesiastes 9:10a
My mother will turn 80 next week. This past Sunday we celebrated her birthday a little early. My siblings and I divvied up the responsibilities and threw her a surprise party. I was elected to give the tribute and pray over the meal. I felt anxious about what to say and how to say it. I wanted to do a good job, and I didn’t want to get emotional while speaking.
When contemplating what to say, I connected the word octopus to octogenarian. I thought of how my mother might have once wished she had eight arms when she was attending to the needs of a family of eight. She was so busy trying to juggle it all.
I also thought of a Bible verse that begins, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10a).
I knew my mother had. So that began my tribute to her.
When speaking, I recalled all the things my mother had put her hand to, from typing on a public job to holding babies, preparing bottles, and changing diapers. Cooking meals, washing dishes and laundry, including those dirty diapers. Scrubbing floors and dirty faces. Dishing up delicious desserts and dishing out discipline. Sewing clothes and crocheting doilies. Repurposing and repairing. Turning the steering wheel and turning pages. Balancing the budget and writing checks and letters and cards. Planting and harvesting vegetables and sowing flower seeds and seeds of faith. Tending to the sick and the old and even the birds. Welcoming, hugging, and feeding all the hungry mouths. Making celebrations special—decorating, wrapping, baking, and lighting candles.
Contrary to what I had hoped, I was flooded with emotion and choked back the tears to get through the final words. But I did it. I got the job done. I said what I wanted to say. I expressed what was in my heart. Then it was our time to celebrate my mother, to eat, drink and be merry (Ecclesiastes 8:15 KJV). So I prayed and the party started.
It was a joyous time. The food was good, the weather was perfect, and the family had fun being together.
But even in the midst of celebrating I couldn’t help but think how fleeting life is. How many more birthdays will we celebrate with Mom? I thought about the families I knew who had just lost loved ones. In the last 10 days, five people I knew passed away. I tried to make sense of it all. They were old. But not all were old. They were sick. But not all were sick.
Search as hard as we like, we’re not going to make sense of everything (Ecclesiastes 8:16-17 MSG). But we can be sure that God is good and He has a purpose for everything and every one on Earth. Our lives too will end. We do not know when, so we must make the most of each day, every moment and every opportunity. Live life to the fullest. Be intentional. Do what God has called us to do—and say what He has called us to say.
“Whatever turns up, grab it and do it. And heartily!” (Ecclesiastes 9:10a MSG).
What has God called you to do today?
Dear Lord, thank You for giving me the strength to say what was in my heart—and for the example that my mother set for me. May I be ever faithful in carrying out your purposes. And whatever my hand finds to do, may I do it with all my might. Amen.