Dear Salvationist, we need more of THIS…

Holiness is certainly vital in our army.
Caring for the less fortunate, the orphan, the widow; equally important.
Having a deep desire to serve the Lord is also a requirement to this Salvation that is ours, yet there is something more…something else that is needed.

William Booth declared it as a young man years before he and Catherine began the Christian Mission. There is an action that all of us should seriously consider before attempting to win the world for Jesus.
Yes, we must certainly get on with it, and never waver, but THIS is a vital component to actually succeeding in the Lord’s name.

What is ‘THIS’, you ask?

Consecration.

Not Just Words:
We can say many things in our lives and in our ministries and at times these utterings only remain just that – words. For instance, (perhaps this might sound a bit harsh, please know I do not mean it to be) we as an Army can say that we are practicing sacramental living and nothing could be further from the truth…or perhaps we do not even know what it means to live a sacramental life.

Hence, the notion of consecration in our lives needs to take place.
Have we offered the Lord “all there is of me”, or are these simply utterances full of sound and fury signifying nothing but mere words?

Are we making our hearts, minds and souls spaces of the sacred and divine, or is the act of consecration foreign to our faith and practice?
What Consecration isn’t:
Consecration isn’t a magic ‘holiness’ pill that will suddenly end our uncertainties, dry up our faithlessness, and cause thousands to attend our church services. Consecration is not simply a ceremony or ritual to perform either, such as many of the old pharisaic practices of old. Consecration is not a ‘one and done’ type of event either.

What Consecration is:
Consecration is a moment of conviction that is driven by our ability to listen to the Holy Spirit. Consecration is an act and not a ritual. Consecration is God breathing into our very hearts and souls and we, the faithful servant, being moved into awe and action. Consecration is a catalyst for deeper spiritual change that brings us closer to reflecting the very image of Christ. Consecration removes the ‘doing’ of the Christian life, and replaces it with ‘being’ a Christ-follower. From this transformative act, the outpouring response is a world impacted by Christ in us.

We will still face difficult days.
We will still find opposition.
We will experience pain, heartache and tears…
BUT, when we remain in a state of ‘Being’ rather than ‘Doing’ – our identity dies and with it the new life and identity of Christ can be seen in us.

How does this happen?
Consecration will occur when:
We get serious of being Holy men and women.
We put down childish things that distract us and instead focus on Kingdom building.
We stop clamoring for the praise of others and start running after the presence of God every moment.
We hunger for more of His words as we read and consume the Bible, the writings of other Christ-followers who can take our faith deeper.

The act of consecration is to devote our lives fully to the Lord. As we do so we find true peace, hope and love. Consecrating our lives will me that we do so over and over again, often times fighting our old, sinful selves as we surrender more and more of our hearts and lives. Thus we at times will come to places of reconsecration, where we rededicate, renew, and revive our faith with a fresh indwelling of God’s presence. This certainly doesn’t mean that God has drifted from us so much so that we have to find Him, No! Actually the opposite occurs – we drift from God and it is His still small voice which calls to us and implores us to find renewal through reconsecration of our hearts, souls and minds.

Undoubtedly, Holiness and Consecration walk side by side.
We cannot have one without the other within this mainframe of our marred world. That which was meant to be Holy needs to first be consecrated to God. When we consecrate our lives to God, or reconsecrate it we are aligning our souls into the image of Christ once more. We, in essence are saying, “Here I am Lord, send me!”

Questions to Ponder:
Do you, dear Salvationist need to return to the cleansing waters of consecration? Have you drifted away from the firm foundation? The Holy Spirit is calling to all of us to find Him again. We are being called to rededicate our lives to Him if we have wandered away. He is calling us to a deeper faith, a more substantial existence…but we must be willing to give up those things which hinder us and hold us back.

“Take My Life and let it be”

Take my life and let it be
Consecrated Lord to Thee
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my voice and let me sing
Always only for my King
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee

Take my love my Lord I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be
Ever only all for Thee

-Frances Ridley Havergal | Henri Abraham Cesar Malan

Something more for our Army to Ponder today.

April 9, 2019 0

Don’t Be Swept Away…

“For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their anguish…Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress”
-Psalm 107:25,26,28

Have you ever been completely floored by the problems in your life?
There is a moment within this turbulence where it is as if a mighty wave has crashed over your head and there isn’t any air left to breathe. In this solitary moment, panic might set in and all hope could drain from your heart. It is in this instant of hopelessness that the threat of being swept away becomes a clear and present danger.

Perhaps you are dealing with an actual flood today. There are many in the Midwest that are struggling against real floodwaters, and we are praying in earnest for you! Still there are others, perhaps even some who are reading these words right now, who feel pressed in on all sides and feel the torrent of life flooding in, threatening to wash everything away.

Hold on! You are not alone and you are not yet washed away!
For those who are in hopeless situations – there is hope.
For those who are mourning – there is comfort and with it – joy.
For those who are suffering – there is healing and restoration.
God has not abandoned you, despite how it may feel at this very moment.
Even David felt as if he had been abandoned by God (read Psalm 22), yet David remembered that ultimately, even if everything were swept away – God would be there, holding dominion over everything.

Can we boast the same confidence in God in the middle of our flooded life?
Do we believe that the Almighty will remain with us and restore us as we pick up the pieces of our shattered lives? Psalm 107:25-30 doesn’t say that the people were spared the flood, but it does say that the Lord “heard their cries and brought them out of their distress.”

Have you cried out to the Lord?
It might not be instantaneous, but be assured that He hears you and will bring you out of this clear and present danger. He is, after all, the Good Shepherd and the Great Comforter. He will not leave you, nor will He forsake you in your time of trouble.

Questions to ponder:
What are your flood waters right now?
Who can you ask to help you and give you hope? (we were never meant to go at life alone – we need friends to encourage us)…who is can be your support and source of encouragement today?
How can we pray for you? (Please post your comments and prayer requests below and we will pray for your!)

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of earth (including the tempest and flood) will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

Prayer:
Lord I ask that you rescue those who are hurting today. You know the floods that encompass us. We place our faith in you and ask that you deliver us and restore the broken today. Be with those who need comfort today. Guide those who are lost. Restore unto us the joy of Your Salvation. It is in Your name we pray these things. -Amen.

March 19, 2019 1

Are You A Stuck Hamster?…

There is a recent story told about a pet hamster that escaped his cage. The little girl who owned the pet hamster frantically searched the house in the hopes of returning him safely to his cage. After searching and searching, the little girl finally recovered her pet from under the refrigerator where it was happily hiding. The little girl returned her hamster to its cage, but began to notice something rather troubling about her pet…it wouldn’t move.
The hamster would not eat or drink either. The little ball of fur would just sit by the bars of the cage hour after hour.

Finally after three days of this issue and fearing for the hamster’s health, the little girl, accompanied by her parents took the pet to the local vet. The Veterinarian observed the hamster in the cage, still un-moving and propped against the bars of the cage. She took the hamster out of the cage and curiously it walked normally and interacted…but when placed back in the cage it would once again prop itself against the cage and remain.

Finally the Veterinarian did some further examinations of the hamster. Upon closer study she noticed that one of the pet’s cheek pouches was more pronounced than the other. With a little prodding and prying, the veterinarian finally came to a conclusion and a quick and painless remedy for the hamster’s condition. The pet wasn’t sick at all. It had just stored a refrigerator magnet in its cheek pouch and had been stuck to the metal bars of the cage for three days.

As humorous as this story is, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was some sort of parable type moral to be shared here.
Are we like this pet hamster sometimes?
Are we stuck to the bars of our cages, without any hope of prying ourselves free?
Is our ‘stuck-ness’ self-inflicted?
Have we consumed things harmful to our body, souls & minds? And try as we might, we can’t let go and we are held captive to the walls of our cages…

What sort of magnet have you consumed?
-Is it personal doubts in the abilities that God has given you?
-Is it the lies the world around you has told you about who you are…and you’ve consumed those lies? (Believing them whole-heartedly until it becomes the truth?)
-Is it fear of failure or rejection? So instead of trying anything, fear has held you captive for far too long?
-Is it self-confidence and even believing that God would call someone like you? Because you don’t think you have any talent, or skill, or really anything God would need?

These ‘magnets’ hold us back.
Keep us bound to our own self-inflicted imprisonment.
The Father Of Lies wants us to remain stuck there.
Why?
Because we cannot impact the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth if we’re held captive in our cages. We offer little threat to this world in terms of being witnesses for Jesus…while magnetized to our cage.

Break Free!
How do we break free from the cage?
How do we own our inadequacies and fears?
We confront them for what they are – lies.
We acknowledge that we don’t have the strength…but we know someone who does. God has promised us that He would never leave us or forsake us. He has also promised to give us what we need (2 Thessalonians 1:2-12) all we have to do is call out to Him and He will be there. This doesn’t mean that things will always get suddenly easier, but it does mean that we will begin to tap into a power much greater than our own. We will begin to see the things we have consumed in our hearts and minds that hold us captive and stuck to our cages.

What is the ‘magnet’ that you have consumed that you need to let go of?
Declare it today.
Write it down.
Pray it out loud to the Lord.
We need to really verbalize it out loud so that we can name it and then let it go. When we do this, we will find the freedom that God has for us, and we then will see the plans that He has for you and me.

Oh and, leave the magnets on the fridge.

😉

-Something more to ponder today. –

Prayer:
Dear Lord, help me to let go of my magnet.
I confess that I cannot do this on my own.
I need your help.
I confess that I am inadequate in_________________________(you name it).
My strength isn’t enough, and I need your help.
Remind me of Your truths.
Remind me of how You see me instead of what the world has told me that I am. I desire to be free from this.
Guide me and help me to hear your voice today.
In Your name I pray these things.
-Amen.

March 6, 2019 2

Days – Even in This Place? (a Poem)

There are days when I feel like Elijah after the fire…
afraid for his life even in the face of victory.
racked with fear and mortality.
loaded down with concerns of his enemies and
what they thought about him.

There are days when I feel like Jonah after the big fish…
when he told the wicked people of God’s wrath…
and they turned from their ways
but Jonah did not…
and so, there he sat in self-pity and lamented.
“just let me die”
But God would not have any of that.

There are days when I feel like Paul in chains…
having done all I can do for ‘the cause’ but…
there’s still a thorn in my side
and it’s hurting me so – “Lord please take it away”
But He doesn’t, so here I sit here thorn and all.

There are days when I feel like Jesus overlooking Jerusalem
and I weep for the blindless of people
and I’ve done all that I can do,
and still it rends my heart because the ignorance lingers on.
and then I face my own cross and I beg for the cup to be lifted
but God does not lift it, and I must drink.

Still there are dark days that plague my heart
when storms threaten to overtake me and wash me away.
when in my strength I am completely helpless
and alone.
Have I been forsaken?
Have you left me God?
It feels as if I have no friends
no where to turn…
or run.

Lord, are you here
even in this place?

February 7, 2019 0

Want to change the world? Then Do THIS Today…

I recently read a quote that said, “be an encourager, the world already has enough critics.”

Confession Time:
I have often been overly critical and negative.
Perhaps you haven’t seen me like this, but I have caught myself silently (and sometimes not) judging situations and others. I have felt the shame of these moments. Who enjoys being judged by others? – No one. And yet, I have arrogantly taken it upon myself from time to time and become the judge with black gown and all.

Have you been guilty of this too?
Have there been moments that you have looked down and realized you have the gavel in hand and are about to pronounce judgement on others?

Friends, it is much easier to judge other people.
We can sit back and observe situations and decisions that people make and never encourage. It takes a lot more effort to step into the ring with someone and offer sound encouragement without strings attached or to lord some semblance of power over them…just to be present with a word or two of love and compassion.

The world needs more encouragers and less critics.
It needs more people willing to step into situations and to be friend, not enemy. There are people all around us every day who feel all alone in their circumstances and the worst thing we can do isn’t to judge them or even say unkind things to them, no, the worst thing is to stand idly by wrapped in our own apathetic blanket of self-righteousness…and do nothing.

Friends, fellow ponderers,
if we are to indeed be salt and light in this world as God has desired us to be, then we need to stop casting stones like pharisees and start wrapping our arms around people who haven’t experienced the love of God in a long, long time – if ever. A word of encouragement has a way of warming the heart and making the soul push forward despite the hardships of the past. We can help light the way for others if we just began to offer encouragement and put down the gavel.

Nelson Mandela once said, “As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”

Homework Assignment For The Day:
When you catch yourself passing judgement on a situation or person, offer ONE sentence of encouragement instead. Reach out to that person you just judged, or were about to judge and encouragement them in some small way. Don’t do it half-hearted, like a sibling in the backseat of the car being forced to apologize to the other sibling…instead practice encouragement and see how your perspective changes and those around you.

“God created you to do AMAZING things!” Ephesians 2:10

Something more to ponder today!

January 23, 2019 0

The Lightning and the Valley of the Shadow of Death…

I recently came across the story of Major Walter Summerford who was a British officer in the early 1900’s and he fought in World War I. While galloping through a field in Belgium he was struck by lightening. One would think that one lightening strike would be more than enough for one lift time, and for the most part you would be right. But in the case of Major Walter Summerford, this was only his first encounter of the mass voltage from the sky.

Image result for walter summerford — Major Walter Summerford

After Walter’s initial injury sustained from the lightning blast, he was forced to retire early because for a time he was paralyzed from the waist down. He relocated to Vancouver Canada where he began to enjoy early retirement with outdoor activities such as fishing. On one such day in 1924, he took fishing pole and bait in hand and set off towards his favorite fishing hole. He perched (no pun intended) himself under a tree and began fishing…unfortunately the tree that he had decided to sit under destined for…yes, you guessed it, a lightening strike. Major Walter Summerford was struck by lightening once again. Initially Major Summerford was paralyzed on one side of his body, but remarkably, after two years of healing he recovered from his injuries.

One would think that being struck, not once, but twice by lightning it could never happen again, but the remarkable thing is it did. Major Summerford was walking one evening in town when another bolt of lightning crashed from the heavens and, defying the odds, found its mark on the body of poor Major Walter Summerford. This time the lightning strike proved lethal and Major Summerford eventually succumbed to his injuries.

One would think that this is the end of the story, but unfortunately it is not.
The body of Major Walter Summerford was then interned at Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver. For four years his body was undisturbed until the spring of 1936 when his gravestone was once again struck by lightning. How could one be so unlucky some might ask.

I find this story quite fascinating. We read of people and the trials that they have gone through and we wonder how they could ever overcome these difficulties. Some of us reading this right now have gone through or are currently going through difficulties and there are moments when we wonder if we will survive this (whatever ‘this’ is).

Our journey through the valley of the shadow of death isn’t always death itself. Sometimes it’s financial concerns. Other times it’s stress at work, or difficult coworkers, or problems with your children. We all find ourselves here in this valley. It’s almost as if we’ve been struck by lightning again and again and we wonder “Lord, why?” and then wonder if it could get any worse…and sometimes it does.

I know at this point it may not sound very encouraging, but bear with me.
We all go through the valley of the shadow of death.
We all experience terrible, horrible, no good very bad days.
We all wonder in times of great trial if God is really there with us, or if we can possibly handle another strike of lightning.

I am here to tell you that we can all make it through these dark times.
You aren’t alone in this journey.
You never were.
It may feel as if you have been, but you’re not alone.

God promised Moses and the Israelites that He would be with them,
“My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
They had been through some very difficult things, many of the younger generations could only remember being slaves in Egypt. They had lived in this valley of the shadow of death all their lives.

Imagine experiencing your terrible, horrible, no good very bad day – EVERY DAY?!

The same God who promised that His presence would go with the Israelites also promises to go with us, and even in our times of trial He will provide us with the rest that we so desperately need.

How About You?
Do you feel as unlucky as Major Walter Summerford?
Does it feel like you’ve been kicked while you have been down?
I know at times it doesn’t seem fair and it is easy to become bitter and angry at your life’s circumstance, but remember that God is very near and He will never leave you or forsake you.

Prayer:
Lord, help me today in my stress and in my trials.
You know my breaking point, and my struggles.
Remind me when I feel all alone in this fight that I am not alone.
Cleanse my heart from all bitterness and unrighteous anger.
Guide me in my dark valley of the shadow of death and restore my soul.
In your name I pray these things.
Amen.

January 21, 2019 2

My favorite Robert Frost Poem

One of my favorite memories is singing in Michigan’s State Choir as a high school student. I recall the song we sang was a rendition of a Robert Frost poem.

There was one particular line in his poem that has always stuck with me. It is the line “You come too…”, for me this has meant so much to me. It’s an invitation, an inclusion. It speaks to belonging and a sense of being needed. It’s a simple poem, and yet it evokes in me a complicated nuance of being present in every mundane chore to the important chapter events in life. To me, it is this epic journey of both invitation and presence.

You come too…

“The Pasture” by Robert Frost

I’m going out to clean the pasture spring;

I’ll only stop to rake the leaves away

(And wait to watch the water clear, I may):

I sha’n’t be gone long.—You come too.

I’m going out to fetch the little calf

That’s standing by the mother. It’s so young,

It totters when she licks it with her tongue.

I sha’n’t be gone long.—You come too.

January 3, 2019 0

Fear the Walking Faith…It’s a journey!

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

Oh how our faith can waver sometimes.
It seems that the gusting of a slight breeze of discord or worry can shake our quivering feet of faith.

Have you ever come to a moment of realization that your faith is not as deep as you once thought it was? We all encounter times, while on this journey, where the feel as though we have entered into the desert and we are found lacking in our resolve and fortitude. This journey will take us into places that require us to dig a little deeper and to endure the dry and thirsty places – where we find ourselves questioning everything and reaching further for God…who seems to have gone silent.

Have you been to this place?

I remember when I first learned to swim.
My parents would take me into the deeper part of the waters where my feet couldn’t touch and then let go of me, and as they let go of me they step back out of my reach. I remember there was a momentary panic. The saving hands were no longer on me and I found myself struggling to keep my head above the waters. I remember having to reach out my arms while kicking my feet so that I could reach the safety again. As I did this, without realizing, I began to swim by myself for the first time.

My intentions were not to swim. My intention was to reach the safe arms of my parents who were just out of reach.

There is growth within the tension and fear.
Growth that can only take place when we are left to our own devices.
Growth that can only transpire within the turmoil and desert places of our faith journey.

It is as if God steps back from us, and we are faced with the seemingly terrifying notion that we must step into the deep alone. The truth is that we are most certainly not alone, but rather there is growth that is only found in desert. And so we step out, unsure of ourselves…unsure if we can reach those safe arms of Christ again.

Remember Peter on the waters before Jesus?
He is asked to step out into a turbulent, uncertain space.
Peter takes a couple of steps, loses sight of the arms of Christ and begins to sink.
He takes his eyes off of Jesus.
He considers the impossibilities of such a journey.
He must have recalled his inability to do this feat, and as the doubt sinks in so does Peter.

We often chastise Peter for his lack of faith.
We often sermonize this passage to implicate the lack of resolve that ‘the Rock’ had…
But where were the other disciples?
Do we read about their steps of faith on the waters? No.
They were still in the boat watching it all go down.

We have to get out of our boats.
We will encounter dry and thirsty times in our faith journey.
It will feel as if we are all alone out in the wilderness, but we are not alone.
God steps back and watches us within the tension of deeper waters.
And it is within those deeper spaces that we grow.
It is through perseverance that our character and the very image of Christ becomes clearer in us.

Some have turned back and returned to the safe places.
Some have given up because they have felt abandoned.
Others have persevered and they have grown.
The Lord desires all of us to deepen our faith, and so these times of dryness should be seen as opportunities to grow up into this amazing faith.

Being like Jesus isn’t easy.
It takes determination and desire on our part.
Are you prepared to allow God to deepen your faith?
Is it your desire to get off of spiritual baby formula and begin to feast on more sustainable spiritual nourishment?

Take that next step…don’t be afraid, He’s got you, and He isn’t far from you right now!

Something more to ponder today.

November 28, 2018 1

Sharing our Thanksgiving

“All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:15

It is that time of the year again.
The time when we look forward to the big meal surrounded by our families and loved ones.

For some, it is a time to see relatives you haven’t seen in a while.
Others, it is the time to catch up on some sleep, watch the Macy’s day parade and some football.

We all have our holiday customs and certain foods that we must have at the dinner for it to truly be Thanksgiving.

But Thanksgiving ought to be more that a meal…
more than a football game or two…
more than catching up on sleep…
or seeing family members.

Thanksgiving is an attitude.

Have you ever had one of those days where there seems to be storm clouds all around you, and no matter what you do you can’t seem to shake the bad attitude that has settled on your heart? We have all been there.

try being in the room with someone like that, and no matter what you do, you can’t change their attitude. Eventually one of two things occurs – either you leave the room and their sour disposition, or you become just as dour and negative as they are.

Attitude is everything.
If we entered our day with a chip on our shoulders, we will taint the experience of that day. We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow, so why spoil today? Yet, far too many people have wasted days and weeks and months simply because a root of bitterness was allowed to grow in their hearts.

The Apostle Paul wrote to young Christians while in chains…and he found contentment in whatever condition his life was in – rich, poor, free or in chains. (Philippians 4:12-13).

Could it be that the true spirit of Thanksgiving isn’t about food, family, fun, football?
*gasp*
It’s a shocker, I know.
But instead, the true spirit of thanksgiving is all about impacting others and the world for Christ? As a matter of fact, the real spirit of thanksgiving isn’t about us getting what we want, but instead allowing God’s presence to be seen in us so that others might come to the full understanding of who Jesus is.

It is through our witness (in the good and bad times) that people might see the overflowing grace and glory of God.

So let me ask you, how is your spirit of thanksgiving today?
Have you learned to be content even in the hardest of times?
If we aren’t sharing our thanksgiving, then dare I say, we aren’t truly living for God.
His grace and love aren’t meant to be kept hidden – it is meant to be shared with both word and deed.

Perhaps today we need to pray that the Lord changes our attitudes.
Perhaps we’ve been going at life with a sour heart and have allowed some roots of bitterness to enter into our lives.

Maybe we need to ask the Lord to soften our hearts so that we might see other people…and that His death and resurrection isn’t an exclusive gift just to us…but everyone.

If we aren’t giving His presence to others, we aren’t truly living with His presence in our lives.

-Something more to ponder today.

November 19, 2018 2

A Pastoral Pondering on Life, Death and Hope…

“End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it.” —J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

The telephone rang in my office. It was a darkening, rainy afternoon. The billowing clouds hung ominously outside, and in my heart there was also a tempest that was threatening to spill out into my life. It had been a hard couple of years in the ministry, and I had been contemplating my resignation as a pastor. I was frustrated, hurt, and very ready to pack it all in and call it quits. It was with a heavy heart that I picked up that ringing telephone and answered.

Little did I know that the prayer that I had been repeating in my mind and on my lips was about to be answered. – A local pastor was calling to donate some food to our corps because we had a large soup kitchen and we could always use the extra meals. I politely told the pastor that I would drive over to his church right away and collect the food. Isn’t it interesting how God knows just what we need even before we recognize it?

I made my way to his church and pulled into the driveway. The church was an older gray stone building with a traditional cross at the top, and the customary blue and red stained glass window that faced the busy street. I parked at the adjacent gymnasium structure and knocked on the front door. The pastor ambled to the door and upon seeing the uniform, welcomed me in. He led me to the kitchen where the food was all nicely wrapped and ready…but something truly remarkable happened. I had come for food to feed others, but the Lord had other ideas in mind. I needed nourishment of the heart – for I was worn, weary and at the end of my rope.

I am not sure if you have ever experienced the moving of the Holy Spirit, but I am certain that the Lord had given me a divine appointment that day in order to help heal my wounded heart. The pastor began to talk to me about his ministry, and gave me a brief tour of the building. He described the basketball program and the youth ministry. We chatted for a few more minutes and then it all spilled out…It felt like I was in a safe place, far away from judgment and ridicule…and so I shared with him my hurt. It was like unloading a burden I had been carrying around for far too long. I told him about my heartache I had experienced in the ministry, and the wounds that had been inflicted while on the pastoral battlefield. He understood. He didn’t say, “well you just need to try harder“, or “perhaps you just aren’t walking with the Lord enough“; or even “maybe you’re just not cut out for ministry.”

No, rather, he just listened.

He let me expose the festering wound of my heart that refused to heal. I had not been able to articulate it, let alone face it before. But here in a gym kitchen, I felt led to bear the wound and let the infection be seen.

Finally after I had finished talking, the pastor told me about his own hurt. How years ago he had moved to this town. He had left another ministry that had been difficult and it too had wounded him. Leaning on a stainless steel island in a small kitchen, he then prayed for me, and the power of the Holy Spirit began working in my heart. I can’t tell you that I was miraculously healed in a single instant, but the pain, bitterness and hurt started to be addressed by the Lord. I was a broken vessel in need of repair, and the hands of God were more than willing to remold me again. Dare I say that the Pastor was only being faithful to the Lord, while the Lord applied the much needed salve to a wounded life. Isn’t it funny how God has a tendency to do that – use the faithful at the most unlikely of places, and just the right moment?!

After the Pastor prayed with me, he asked me if it would be alright if he contacted a couple of other pastors that he knew, and if we could all meet over breakfast sometime soon. I accepted the invitation and promptly left with the food in my hands. Again, I had come to receive food for people in need, when I was also in need myself – in need of spiritual nourishment and hope. I walked away from that encounter a little lighter.
I told my wife about my time with Pastor Steve, and explained that I felt the Lord had placed him in my path.

A little while later I received a phone call from Pastor Steve, and true to his word, he was inviting me to a breakfast with his group of pastors. I had been in other pastor groups before, and sometimes it felt like it was a forced fellowship. I went to the first breakfast with that thought in mind, but I was extremely surprised to find a group of guys who loved being with each other. The laughed together over coffee and toast. I felt as if I was being welcomed into a fellowship I didn’t deserve…and yet here they were warming my heart.

Over the course of the next few months I met with this pastor group. We met every couple of weeks, and there wasn’t any agenda except to encourage one another, to pray for one another and share the in the journey. I came to pick up food only to be fed…

Pastor Steve helped to pick me up, a wounded pastor, on the way while traveling on the same journey…and I am forever grateful for that divine appointment. It was just before Thanksgiving last year that Pastor Steve went in for a routine gall bladder surgery only to discover that it wasn’t gall bladder at all, but rather terminal cancer.
I recall the sheer shock of that horrific news. Yet, through it all Pastor Steve remained a faithful servant of God.

Just today, mere weeks before Thanksgiving – almost one year to the day – Pastor Steve went to be with the Lord. I mourn the loss of such a man of God. This world is better because he walked it. My life is better because he journeyed for a time along with me. He shared in my hurt, and helped to heal the deep wounds of my heart. I know that I will always be thankful for his ministry in my life…even though it was for but the briefest of times. Just like markers in life – where we remember the turning points and milestones – Pastor Steve stands there on one of those points in mine.

I came to pick up food for others only to be fed…and that was a divine appointment designed by the Lord and enacted upon by a faithful servant…thank you Steve! And now while I continue to travel this path, may I too faithful recognize those divine appointments that must enter and help those who walk behind me.

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” -C.S. Lewis.

November 9, 2018 0

Author: Pastor'sPonderings