This has been a wonderful day. Ministry opportunities at every turn motivates me to pray more and depend on self less. Our wonderful world has broken hearts strewn along the way as if speeding vehicles hit patches of ice. The pain is heartbreaking.
I wrote a young man who is deathly ill with the AIDS virus. I've only recently met him. I sent a note to him in the mail this morning asking him to consider helping me begin a new ministry for AIDS patients. Why not give him a purpose and see if God might break in? Maybe he would be converted to Christ as he helps me reach others who need the love of Jesus.
Then I learned of one of our own stuck in a quagmire of sin. Oddly, emails and phone calls have all been returned pronto once discovering my love is unconditional; just as much today as ever. Great pain seem to be at the center of Jesus' attention.
And then I opened the mail; a letter from the son of my late friend Richard Haley. Richard died of cancer a few years back, but was buried in Christ just before. Rich poured out his heart as he has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. He is terrified to the extent of fearing he will lose his mind. He is so open to God's heart. I will do what I can to help; I talked to his mother in Chicago moments ago.
This is ministry folks! When the church focuses on the stark pain of people two things happen;
(1) we find ourselves thrust into the sandals of Jesus, and (2) we have no taste for pitiful church talk which has no direction but circular argument. We are on a mission and our mission has the wounded in clear sight.
Do your congregation a favor. Keep looking for the devastated and cheer them on with what you have. This is called ministry worthwhile. It puts the pep in your step and the skip in your walk.
2 comments:
Oh Terry! I am going to pray for Rich...I know he must be absolutely scared to death...I would be and I would want people praying fervently for me. You bring things to us that are priceless...I just must put them into practice. Relationships are "priceless" and Jesus was so into that...I want to be like Him...and I'm doing my best. Thank you for encouraging me every blog you write...write on!!!
This post fits so well with what Randy Harris has preached at Highland Oaks the last 4 Sundays. We have got to get out of our church buildings and into the lives of those who need Jesus. We have to be the Hope for the World. We have to be Jesus with skin on. Thank you Terry!
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