A Second Look

When in doubt, ask someone who knows what they're looking at.
And when in doubt regarding your own life, ask Him who knows you best.

All too often we go through a situation getting ideas and opinions and don't reach out to an expert. And when we do, we often don't do as a first response, but much later in the conversation, to the point of a last resort. We've all done, it matters important and not, but all of them secondary to what God is doing and working in the lives of those who are His.

As I heard a pastor friend confess recently to his congregation... it's easy to study in order to have a great sermon, to prepare to impress, to be the one that is looked up to and sought after for insight, advice and prayer and whatever else may capture the attention and feed the ego. Sometimes, it's that obvious. Other times, perhaps not so much.

You would think that it would be easy to do ministry and the preparation of it from a place of love. We know this, because we are so quick to criticize those in ministry as though they are doing it from a motive that is anything but a place of love.

Yet, ultimately, their ministry and it's effectiveness will be hindered without doing it for the love of God and the love of people as their primary motivator. I titled this post, a second look, because while we hope pastors enter the ministry with this understanding, sometimes the only one who can point out that other motivators have stepped in and over, is God Himself, placing His finger on hearts and minds with kindness; that the mark is being missed.

Pray this #seniorPastorMonday, that pastors would not miss the mark. Pray that they would continue to operate their church and ministry from a place of love. May there be an awareness about their lives that they would recognize when their priorities and rationale for decisions and process have changed. Pray they would possess an ever-sensitive heart for the prompting and leading of the Holy Spirit, not only for what God would have them to accomplish, but also what God would desire to accomplish in their lives. Pray that distractions, detours and delays would be short-lived, and ultimately ineffective in the grand design of God sovereign plan. May they come out with a deeper relationship for God and a deeper passion for the people within the reach of their ministry.

An open mind and an open heart
To the work of God
In the lives of the leadership of the church
As an example to the body
That God isn't done with any of us.
For His glory.

- PNC