Do You Want a Pastor?

Someone close to me asked if I wanted them to call a Pastor to come visit with us.  Immediately my mind went to Ephesians 4:11-12 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

I told them “No”.  I had no desire for a pastor to come visit.  According to scripture it is not the job of the pastor to visit with every hurting, grieving, person, to be at every bedside, or in every hospital room.  This I believe in some cases has been a construct of the world.  A way for nominal Christians to shirk their responsibility and leave the uncomfortable activities of all our calling to the “Professional Christians”. 

It is the primary job of Pastors to teach, train and equip every member of their church who is a true member of the body of Christ and His eternal kingdom to be a representative of Christ.  This is why Christians have come to use the phrase “hands and feet of Jesus”    

I have seen the error of trying as a pastor to be everything for everybody, it is not a viable model.  The pastor who tries to comfort every pain by themselves will burn out.  This is the model of the church that the world designs, but it is not the model of the church that God designed and gave us in His Word the Bible. 

Over the next several days the body of Jesus did not disappoint.  It was not the visit from a pastor that brought the most comfort and strength, it was friends calls and texts, it was visits and meals, it was those willing to go shopping for cereal, and tissues and coffee.  Those that came and played with my 5-year-old, that swept floors, that folded laundry, that fed cows and lent a spare milk pump when ours broke, who worked on the electric in the barn and brought in firewood, those who picked up equipment and helped plan the repast.

To each and every one of you, Thank you.  Thank you for not only loving us, but for showing us the Love of Jesus in our darkest hour.  Thank you for making that love be more than a feeling, more than words, but true heartfelt actions. 

I have heard it taught that Love is not a noun, it is not a feeling, but it is a verb, an action.  There is another book besides the Bible that I hold dear, (Don’t Squat with yer Spurs on, A Cowboy’s guide to life) it is a collection of sayings and this one rings true.  “A body can pretend to care, but they can’t pretend to be there”.

Often it was just the willingness of a person to come and sit and be with us, to be there, with no words as there are no words to say at a time like this.  But to those who are willing to be uncomfortable with us in our discomfort, we ae truly grateful.  As the Bible instructs us in Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Again, Thank you All!