Lives of Service And Grateful Obedience
Ever wonder what it is like to be in ministry full-time? These people of the cloth commit their entire life to advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ. They put their trust in God 100%, to take care of their families, their needs, everything. It’s a level of commitment that most of us can’t even pretend to understand. It is a serious level of commitment with heavy emotional and physical demands. And considering it is God who called them into ministry, who are we to not honor God’s calling?
Image courtesy of: yourfaithchurch
Scripture:
“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” – 1 Timothy 5:17
Observation/Application:
Those who the Lord has called into ministry full-time are worthy of our honor. This also holds true for elders in the church. They need our help, not our criticism. God is trusting their leadership for the church, and with His gospel. The work they do in advancing the gospel enriches our lives on earth and guides us back to our eternal home with Jesus Christ in heaven. So every pastor you meet, thank them for their service regardless if you agree with their specific beliefs or practices. It doesn’t matter if they are Catholic, Lutheran, Church of Christ, Baptist, etc. They deserve our honor. And every elder and missionary you come across, thank them too.
Whether we prefer small churches, mega-churches, or somewhere in-between, these church leaders all deserve our honor. Just because a church is small doesn’t mean the pastor is boring and ineffective. Souls are saved one at a time. And just because the church is huge doesn’t mean the pastor loves money. You don’t know what it was like to have walked in their shoes. Is it so hard to believe that God has just entrusted them with much because they were faithful over the little?
Where would we be, where would Christianity be, without these leaders of our faith throughout history? Martin Luther was not well-liked by the church at that time, and he most certainly would have been villainized by the press and social media. But that doesn’t mean he was wrong. It means he was called.
And for those of us who have not been called to ministry full-time, let us honor those who have. Even more, let us honor them by offering them our help. The church leadership alone is not the church. WE ARE THE CHURCH. And the church leaders need our help. Perhaps it’s time to ask ourselves, what are we doing to contribute to the body of Christ?
Let us give thanks and offer our time, our talents, and our tithes and offerings to the Lord. We too can serve. We too can help direct the affairs of the church by getting involved in our local church. We too can help prepare a place where others can receive the Word and be saved. And who is to say that we won’t discover our calling and purpose by volunteering our time and talents at the church?
Small acts of obedience by everyone, compounded in faith, results in an unstoppable church. Praise God.
#What-Would-Be-Possible-If-We-Spent-As-Much-Time-And-Energy-Serving-As-We-Did-Criticizing-And-Fighting?
Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for a grateful heart today. As I read today’s scripture, I can’t help but be reminded of all of the pastors who have sown their seed of faith into my life. Bless the work of their hands, and their lives in every way. Let the fullness of your glory be revealed in their lives. Let us honor their work and calling, knowing that their work is alive in us. We give you thanks for showing us the Way, the Truth, and the Light, and give you all the honor and glory and praise, in Jesus mighty name. Amen.
Today’s full reading: 2 Kings 10; 2 Chronicles 22,23; 1 Timothy 5
Scripture References From Today’s Reflection:
- “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble’.” – James 4:6
- “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” – Proverbs 11:2
- “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” – Proverbs 16:18
- “The LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled),” – Isaiah 2:12
- “So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” – John 8:7
- “Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'” – Luke 19:17
- “But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart’.” – 1 Samuel 16:7
- “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it’.” – Malachi 3:10
- “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” – Acts 20:35
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