As noted in yesterday’s blog post, Lesson #1, I have recently undergone hernia surgery. As I told my surgeon yesterday during my post-op visit, “Doc, I really don’t like to be around you when you start cuttin’ up!” There have been times in my past that got in trouble for that! Well, as the Lord would have it, this time was for my good. These are the times when God does some work of heart and draws us to Himself for personal discipleship (Matthew 11:28-30).
Lesson #2 – He must increase; I must decrease.
The past year in ministry has been the most demanding that I’ve gone through in years. When ministry takes the turns that it has, my automatic reaction is to work harder; to increase. All I want to say today is, the hardest work of increase should come on our knees. There, Christ is increased, and I am decreased. That’s way it’s supposed to work (John 3:30). “Thank You, Lord, for leading me beside the still waters of that passage on the day after surgery. Sure is hard to do my work of increase while medicated and grounded.” And . . . Christ’s ministry just kept right on going.
From A Pastor's Heart 