chosen to serve

Good morning to all you chosen vessels out there. Have you ever been chosen for some special event? And how did it make you feel? The one that sticks out in my mind is  when I was a youngster in elementary school. Trust me, I was never chosen as the teacher’s pet. But I was chosen a couple a times to dust the chalkboard erasers. Do you remember what that was? You would collect all the erasers from the room and take them outside and beat them against the sidewalk to get all the chalk dust out of them. We were not allowed to beat them on the wall of our brick school house building. Dusting the erasers was the best of all things to be selected for as a kid growing up in the early fifties.

There have been other things that I have been chosen for that have also brought me great comfort--things like leading a conference of individuals who want to develop their ministry skills. It is not so much the opportunity to lead as it is the joy of seeing others whom the LORD has called and set aside for HIs ministry.

This morning I was up early writing about the expectations between a church and pastor and a pastor and a church. They are not the same. Troubles come when we have unrealistic expectations that are unmet--more on the our website for this coming real soon.

My call to ministry verse is found in 1 Timothy 1:12. It is what I base my life on. Listen to the verse, “I thank Christ Jesus our LORD who COUNTED ME FAITHFUL putting me into HIS MINISTRY.” I was chosen to serve our LORD. I wasn’t called to pastor, to preach, or cook in the kitchen at church. I was called (chosen by God) to serve Him in whatever area He chooses. Serving as a pastor/teacher is His assignment in His ministry. As I was writing and meditating on this calling, I began to praise our LORD for how He has assigned me to different aspects of His service. God counted me faithful - He knew my short-comings, my down falls, and how Satan would temp, trick, and treat me (Luke 22:31) and He still chose me to be a Servant of the LORD Jesus. I am so thankful that God had that much faith in me that He would trust me with His precious people and pastors. Sure I fail a lot but that doesn’t relinquish the call God has placed on my life. It is a lifetime call. There is no retirement plan offered for serving our risen Savior.  Just think about this pastors, God has that much faith in you that He would allow you to serve one of His churches. That is a blessing.