Monday’s Ministry Encouragement: Written to encourage you, my friend in ministry, to be refreshed and renewed as we live for Christ and look toward the Bema.
He has been in ill health for awhile. Recently, he has been battling mini-strokes which has hospitalized him again.
Standing by this bedside I ask, “How are you doing spiritually?” He struggled to answer.
“Do you doubt God’s love for you?” “No.”
“Do you wonder if He’s forsaken you?” “No.”
“Do you know He loves and cares for you?” “Yes.”
As I read Psalm 34, his countenance displayed he was connecting with . . .
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Continuing to struggle to verbalize his thoughts, I began to sing, “He Is Able to Deliver Thee” and he joined in.
From there we sang, “He Touched Me,” “Blessed Assurance,” “It Is Well With My Soul,” “Are Ye Able Said the Master?, and “In the Garden.” Amazing how he works so hard to express his thoughts, yet he hardly misses a word of song.
After prayer, he took his right hand from beneath the covers and reached for mine for a handshake. As I took his hand, he pulled me to him. I hugged him, and he held onto my hand. From one brother in Christ to another, I said, “I love you, friend. You are very dear to me. I’m cheering you on! Your church family is praying for you.” As best he could he said, “I know. They sent me some cards.”
I have heard it said so often, “one of the best ways to get the focus off of your own pain/cares/discouragement, etc., is to go be a blessing to someone else.”
Ministry friend, are you down-hearted today? Does the Monday Ministry Blues have you in its grip? Are you weighed down with ministry burdens? How about making a visit to a dear saint of God? Read Scripture to them. Sing some of their favorites with them. When you leave, your vision of Christ will be clearer and your heart will lifted with joy and blessing.
On this Sunday, our morning gathering was a blessing in so many, many wonderful ways. This afternoon visit was the “icing on the cake.”
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. (2 Corinthians 1:3-6)
From A Pastor's Heart 