Monday, August 17, 2009

my day off

Day off - No such thing when you're in ministry. And just so we are clear, any of you who have accepted the Lord, are also in full time ministry!! Working at a church does not distinguish you as full time - accepting the Lord does. He then places you exactly where He wants you to serve for Him!

Today is a crazy day following an amazing baptism service at an outdoor location where we baptized over thirty people last evening - the calm before the storm!

Today so far: (9:30 a.m.) -

  • Some of our best friend's little boy having surgery.
  • Another of my good friends struggling with his heart rhythm... with his family in court preparing to attend trial against someone accused of being inappropriate with juveniles.
  • As I write this - Many of my closest church guy friends are on a roof helping to remove and replace roof (none of them roofers - I am terrified someone will fall! )
  • Just got email from a friend who needs advise for a struggling family considering divorce (God give me the words!)
  • About an hour ago got off the phone with a dear team member whose heart is broken and sobbing over one of her young adult children's decisions.
  • My son traveling with his band in Oregon - lining up enough gigs to insure they can even eat, thus the saying 'starving artists'!
  • My evening will end by attending visiting hours for yet another friend who has suffered the loss of a loved one in her family this week.
You get my drift, very nerve racking day. Only by God's amazing grace will I meet these people's needs in anyway!! If I've said it once I've said it a million times, if I didn't have the Lord to lean on, to pray to, to be confident in even when things didn't go the way I wanted them to, I just couldn't keep going. I am way to weak!

This is what breaks my heart for the lost, not only separation from God for eternity, but, the everyday struggles that they have no one to turn to. I just praise Him so, so much that on my day off, surrounded by earthly things that I'm worried about, I can choose to lay them at His feet and focus on what he has created THIS day to be in my life. What purpose THIS day has that He is giving me.

I encourage all of you today to choose to face whatever this day brings with eternal focus. Don't let the enemy discourage you and convince you this day is insignificant! Every single day has great significance in the life of a believer. Even if it's the gift of rest, it is preparing you for something later. It is only US that choose to make it insignificant if we don't keep our eyes open, searching for all the opportunities of each day. So go into this day and the next and as many as God has chosen to bless you with knowing He designed each one just for you!!

1 comment:

Steve Browning said...

I disagree with your statement that there is no such thing as a day off when you are in ministry. If that were true, why would God command that there be a sabbath day? That's not to say we might not have to do ministry on what would be our day off. I think when we are in ministry, we might be "on call" all the time, but everyone needs to take time away from their work to get refreshed. You included!