By Kevin Harris, pastor of the Illawarra Community Baptist Church in Wollongong, NSW
And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well…
Mark 7:37
To excel is to go beyond the average. It’s better than the acceptable, the adequate, or the mediocre.
Excellence marked my Master’s life and ministry. Whatever He did, He did well. It was so good, His ministry astonished people.
At Cana, when He turned water into grape juice, the ruler commented on its supreme quality.
Even in this first miracle, His work was not slipshod. Our Lord didn’t say, ‘That’ll be good enough.’
When He fed thousands of starving people in the wilderness, they didn’t just get a few tasteless bites to tide them over until they went home. Scripture says, ‘So they did eat, and were filled…’ (Mark 8:8). There were even leftovers!
Our Saviour did not disappoint. No one He healed returned to ask Him to complete the miracle. Withered hands, lame legs, deaf ears – all were made perfectly whole (Matthew 9:22; 12:13; 14:36; 15:28, 31). No doubt the formerly blind had 20/20 vision. All expressed complete satisfaction at His work.
When He went to the cross, He excelled in providing the atonement for our sins such that His Father was ‘well pleased.’
Today as our Heavenly Defence Lawyer, He never loses a case.
Yes, our Master certainly is excellent.
And He deserves my very best.
Father, I admire Your Son’s work ethic. I want to be like Him in all that I do. Replace half-hearted effort with a commitment to excel. Help me to give You my best, my family my best, my church family my best, and those who employ me my best. I ask this in the Name of the Lord Jesus, Amen.
This article was written by Kevin Harris Dapto pastor of Illawarra Community Baptist Church.