That's Pretty Close

I always appreciate talking with my brother. He lives out of state and his schedule is crazier than mine, so it's not nearly often enough. But he returned my call late last night and I was reminded once again, just how much I appreciate his insight and advice wrapped up in brotherly love.

Then this morning, I got to thinking about the verse that talks about Jesus staying closer than a brother.

And I realized that there are two responses to that truth.

The first, is a response similar too mine; and that is that it's a pretty incredible thought regarding our walk with Christ as me and my brother are like this! *fingers crossed. When you have a great relationship with your sibling, the closeness a relationship with Christ is easy to grasp, but at times difficult to imagine that it could be even better.

Then there's the opposite response, offered through an entirely different filter. For the person who does not have a close relationship with their sibling, putting a relationship with Christ in such a framework is difficult. And understandably so. There's no context of personal experience.

We see this all the time, in conversations on nearly every issue and topic of the day. You can't possibly understand what that's like if you haven't lived it. And to a degree, that is accurate. Now, granted, not "every" experience needs to be personally lived out, to understand that something is dangerous, horrific or defies logic or belief. We can show compassion, empathy and understanding while speaking truth, even from an entirely different experience.

Having said that though, we've all recognized the bond that develops when the stories and realities of two people or groups come into alignment and they discover that they share common elements throughout the experience(s) of their life... or at least a moment of it.

Children want to know that someone understands their struggles.
Adults want to know that someone has lived their battles.
Likewise, pastors want to know that someone has survived the ministry.

On this #youthPastorWednesday, pray for pastors that are struggling with their place in life and in faith. May they be reassured, that even if it feels like nobody understands their battle, that Christ does. Pray for the comfort of the Holy Spirit to surround them and strengthen them anew and afresh. Pray also, that God would give them insight as they come alongside, the kids and teens that they minister to; that they would develop a great relationship in which those kids would understand that someone has been through the challenges and difficulties they are facing. May the be the representation of Christ, standing by them, walking with them and speaking truth into them and life over them. Pray God would accomplish the miraculous in drawing the lives of both young people and pastors alike every closer to Himself.

That each of us would grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ
As we do in the relationship of our beloved siblings
Both the ones that exist and the ones we wished existed
For the glory of God.

- PNC