Appreciating Our Pastors
October is Pastor Appreciation Month. I guess we all need to be reminded to express our appreciation for our pastors, since many of us have a tendency to take them for granted. That's the way it is for pastors who follow God's calling and do their jobs so faithfully. Pretty soon, the people they serve come to expect their self-sacrificing hard work to continue forever, forgetting that pastors are people, too, who often struggle with the same things the rest of us do. Even pastors need encouragement.
Through the years, I've known a lot of pastors, and I've come to realize that many of them share a few similar qualities that I really, really appreciate.
First of all, the only effective pastors genuinely love God, and speak freely of his great love for them and all people. They know Jesus personally and are not afraid to say so. They long for others to know him, too; that's the main reason they became pastors in the first place.
They strive to love the people they serve, collectively and individually, even those who are hard for anyone to love.
They willingly and compassionately drop everything, at any time of day or night, to offer support and encouragement to those who are in distress.
They talk to God frequently through prayer, and lead others in prayer, too, at every opportunity.
They are quick to offer forgiveness when needed, and humble enough to ask for forgiveness when they need it.
They study God's Word diligently, and share their knowledge often--not just on Sundays.
They worship God fervently, and lead their congregations in heart-felt praise.
They seek God's will, over and over again.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6: 8) This is not an easy thing for any of us to do. I am grateful for pastors who model their lives on this verse and others like it. And I am thankful when they lead the rest of us as we walk with God.
Thank you, God, for faithful pastors. In your mercy, bless them and their families, and strengthen them for the work you want them to do.
Through the years, I've known a lot of pastors, and I've come to realize that many of them share a few similar qualities that I really, really appreciate.
First of all, the only effective pastors genuinely love God, and speak freely of his great love for them and all people. They know Jesus personally and are not afraid to say so. They long for others to know him, too; that's the main reason they became pastors in the first place.
They strive to love the people they serve, collectively and individually, even those who are hard for anyone to love.
They willingly and compassionately drop everything, at any time of day or night, to offer support and encouragement to those who are in distress.
They talk to God frequently through prayer, and lead others in prayer, too, at every opportunity.
They are quick to offer forgiveness when needed, and humble enough to ask for forgiveness when they need it.
They study God's Word diligently, and share their knowledge often--not just on Sundays.
They worship God fervently, and lead their congregations in heart-felt praise.
They seek God's will, over and over again.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6: 8) This is not an easy thing for any of us to do. I am grateful for pastors who model their lives on this verse and others like it. And I am thankful when they lead the rest of us as we walk with God.
Thank you, God, for faithful pastors. In your mercy, bless them and their families, and strengthen them for the work you want them to do.
Comments
Post a Comment