How to Begin in Order to End Well
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!" Matthew 25:21 NIV
This past Sunday I found myself in a tiny country church in Paris, Kentucky. The congregation numbered less than 50, the ushers taking the offering would most likely fit into the 8 to 12 years old age bracket, and the music wasn't contemporary but could be found if you opened the hymnal in the back of the pew in front of you. Very different from where I normally spend my Sunday morning worship time, but I wouldn't have wanted to spend this particular Sunday anywhere else.
The very "modern" (i.e. young and wearing blue jeans and a button down) pastor stood up front and announced that today we would be celebrating the many years of service of one particular member of the congregation. He went on to say that this woman was always dependable, hard working, kept him aware of the financial situation of the church, and he knew, without a doubt, that he never had to worry if the bills were paid because she always made sure they were taken care of. This sweet lady is my grandmother.
Grandma stands about two inches taller than my eight-year-old little girl, she has a long standing hair appointment on Saturday mornings to get her hair fixed just the way she likes it, and this past February we celebrated her 83rd birthday. She still drives her mini van around town, makes the best mashed potatoes and my favorite red velvet cake that I can't quite get to taste the same even though I have the recipe written by the baker herself. And yes, she is still her church's treasurer.
After the service was finished and lunch was eaten, I made my way back to Bardstown and thought about the many years my grandma has busied herself with kingdom work. It reminded me of the parable I referred to above where the master goes away, having left his servants with varying amounts of responsibility and later returns to see just what they had accomplished while he was away. I have always loved his response, "well done, good and faithful servant."
I don't know about you, but when I do something, I almost need to hear some form of affirmation. I want to know not only that my work is appreciated, but that I did a good job. And when I think about the command to care for the fatherless, and I ponder the knowledge I have been given, my desire is still the same. I want to get to the end and hear Him say, "well done, good and faithful servant." I want to rejoice alongside Him over the lives that were touched. I want to "share" in my Master's happiness. I don't write, I don't pray, I don't take action so that I can get a pat on the back from the world around me. I do this because I want to make my Daddy proud. I do it because He's given so much to me, that I can't help but want to do what He has asked of me. I do it because He loved me first, and I want to make sure no child goes without feeling that same love.
Right now, I'm a little overwhelmed with the question, where do I begin? I'm writing this blog, I'm reading and gathering information, I'm doing big things I'm not quite ready to share, and I'm trying to do a few smaller things that aren't quite set in stone. Nevertheless, I can get a little overwhelmed trying to figure out if I'm not doing enough or too much? Am I going down the right path or did I miss a turn? And some moments, I have to stop and question have I, in my desire to be obedient, taken over the control and tried to figure out how to get this thing done all on my own? Thanks God for the great ideas, You can have a seat, I've got this. My brain can get a little fried, and the desire to just quit looks more than a little tempting.
So, pray for me. I sure could use some wisdom and direction in the coming weeks and months, and any prayers you'd like to contribute to the cause would be appreciated.
I'm going to leave you with this video of Francis Chan that I stumbled on last week. I find it humorous every time I watch it, and I think it conveys nicely the need to cross the finish line having done all you could with the days God gave.
And in case you were wondering, while sitting on the pew in that tiny church, my grandma filled her card out as to what areas she would like to serve in the coming year. It seems 83 is not the retirement age for the Lord's work. I don't really think there is one.
This past Sunday I found myself in a tiny country church in Paris, Kentucky. The congregation numbered less than 50, the ushers taking the offering would most likely fit into the 8 to 12 years old age bracket, and the music wasn't contemporary but could be found if you opened the hymnal in the back of the pew in front of you. Very different from where I normally spend my Sunday morning worship time, but I wouldn't have wanted to spend this particular Sunday anywhere else.
The very "modern" (i.e. young and wearing blue jeans and a button down) pastor stood up front and announced that today we would be celebrating the many years of service of one particular member of the congregation. He went on to say that this woman was always dependable, hard working, kept him aware of the financial situation of the church, and he knew, without a doubt, that he never had to worry if the bills were paid because she always made sure they were taken care of. This sweet lady is my grandmother.
Grandma stands about two inches taller than my eight-year-old little girl, she has a long standing hair appointment on Saturday mornings to get her hair fixed just the way she likes it, and this past February we celebrated her 83rd birthday. She still drives her mini van around town, makes the best mashed potatoes and my favorite red velvet cake that I can't quite get to taste the same even though I have the recipe written by the baker herself. And yes, she is still her church's treasurer.
After the service was finished and lunch was eaten, I made my way back to Bardstown and thought about the many years my grandma has busied herself with kingdom work. It reminded me of the parable I referred to above where the master goes away, having left his servants with varying amounts of responsibility and later returns to see just what they had accomplished while he was away. I have always loved his response, "well done, good and faithful servant."
I don't know about you, but when I do something, I almost need to hear some form of affirmation. I want to know not only that my work is appreciated, but that I did a good job. And when I think about the command to care for the fatherless, and I ponder the knowledge I have been given, my desire is still the same. I want to get to the end and hear Him say, "well done, good and faithful servant." I want to rejoice alongside Him over the lives that were touched. I want to "share" in my Master's happiness. I don't write, I don't pray, I don't take action so that I can get a pat on the back from the world around me. I do this because I want to make my Daddy proud. I do it because He's given so much to me, that I can't help but want to do what He has asked of me. I do it because He loved me first, and I want to make sure no child goes without feeling that same love.
Right now, I'm a little overwhelmed with the question, where do I begin? I'm writing this blog, I'm reading and gathering information, I'm doing big things I'm not quite ready to share, and I'm trying to do a few smaller things that aren't quite set in stone. Nevertheless, I can get a little overwhelmed trying to figure out if I'm not doing enough or too much? Am I going down the right path or did I miss a turn? And some moments, I have to stop and question have I, in my desire to be obedient, taken over the control and tried to figure out how to get this thing done all on my own? Thanks God for the great ideas, You can have a seat, I've got this. My brain can get a little fried, and the desire to just quit looks more than a little tempting.
So, pray for me. I sure could use some wisdom and direction in the coming weeks and months, and any prayers you'd like to contribute to the cause would be appreciated.
I'm going to leave you with this video of Francis Chan that I stumbled on last week. I find it humorous every time I watch it, and I think it conveys nicely the need to cross the finish line having done all you could with the days God gave.
And in case you were wondering, while sitting on the pew in that tiny church, my grandma filled her card out as to what areas she would like to serve in the coming year. It seems 83 is not the retirement age for the Lord's work. I don't really think there is one.
Comments
Post a Comment