Horses & Mules

Our devotional during Wednesday nights' prayer service this week was on the missionary heart of Paul. It was a great teaching on his life, especially when you consider the detail with which he describes his suffering and what he endured for the cause of Jesus Christ... and more importantly how he handled it. Like worship while in prison.

However; pastor got my attention when he stated the following:

"I wonder how many pastors miss out, when they walk out just too soon."

Such is the purpose and meaning of endurance. Whether or not you can see the finish line or the next goal marker doesn't really matter, for life is a serious of corners and bends, ups and downs and you never know just how close you truly are until you are there. Take for instance my own church... pastor took this on in 1992, after a number of pastors had tried to revitalize and had been unable to see it through. Yet here we stand. A testament to the grace of God, first and foremost, but right behind that... a testament to the perseverance of a pastor determined to desire God's will regardless of what circumstances look like.

It hasn't been easy. It won't be in the future. But it will be worth it. Like investing for retirement. You can't see it. It's a sacrifice for the present. But what will you miss in the future by not doing today?

Such as it is with mission. One may never see the return of what they have invested into the lives and souls of those around them until we reach eternity; but that should not be a deterrent to pressing forward, pushing in and trust God to bring us through the difficult places and the challenging times that seem to last longer than we would like... which even though, may almost be over we endured just a little longer.

I loved how pastor closed out Wednesday's service.

"There's the horse, that takes off and races ahead. Then there's the mule, the stubborn animal that digs in his heels. When it comes to the will of God, I don't want to be either."

What a great prayer to pray, this #missionsFriday, that missionaries (and pastors for that matter) would have a heart of endurance. Pray that as they seek the face of God and His will for their lives and ministry, they would neither take off ahead nor dig in in hesitation. May they walk with God in confidence of the calling He has placed within them; able to discern the leading and the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Pray they would share the heart of Paul; able to worship in the least like places, unshakable joy; unending commitment; unstoppable perseverance. May God place in their lives the right people to come along aside and may God work the miraculous as they remain faithful to the cause of Jesus Christ and the advancement of the kingdom of God... in all things; no matter how difficult the trials and  fires may wage against them. Pray victory for their lives, even this hour.

Patiently waiting;
Faithfully enduring;
Until we hear freedom...
When God says "GO!"

In the name of the Lord
For the glory of God.

- PNC

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