Good day dear friends. It was on a Sunday. It was the 13th of June, 1976. On the campus of my alma mater, Southwestern University, that during the Ordination Service of the Rio Grande Conference, Bishop O. Eugene Slater, ordained me a Deacon in The United Methodist Church. It was and still is, a very emotional event. As I arose this morning and prayed on my knees to thank God for this special call and to ask forgiveness for all I have not done, and for those things I know I have that I shouldn't have, that the words of Isaiah 6 came to mind: "5 And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" 6 Then flew one of the seraphim to me, having in his hand a burning coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgiven." 8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
I cannot help but identify with how that man felt: Lost, unclean lips, living in the midst of a society gone the way opposite God, but I have seen the King at work in my life and in my ministry; and I pray that I might feel the cleansing that is mine for the asking for the days yet ahead, for even though I resisted at first, at last I surrendered to God when God asked, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" I said, "Here am I! Send me."
I love what I do. God called me to perhaps the most exciting and challenging career there is. There is never a dull moment in the life of a minister if s/he is seeking the Lord and how to best serve Him. Yes, there are those days... But God is with me; praise His name! What other profession has as its full time calling to bring people to God? My God loves people! My God wants to be in relationship with people, and my job is to offer God's love. There is no greater joy in my life than knowing that God can make a difference in everyone's life and sometimes, God can even use me to help in that. I'm at my happiest when someone tells me they've given their lives to the Lord or that a sermon of mine touched their life. This past Thursday at the Laity Banquet at annual conference, a young man just appointed as an associate pastor at one of our churches, made it a point to come to my table and share how 12 years ago, when I preached at the Rio Grande Conference Youth Assembly, he felt God calling him to ordained ministry through my sermon. He even remembered that I preached on the armor of God and how I had used a Roman soldier cut out that I borrowed from one of my laymen from my church in Mission, Texas. This young man is now about 6'5", 12 years ago he wasn't! I thanked God for that reminder of why I do what I do. If you missed the river baptisms of three of our confirmands you missed another one of the greatest experiences in this line of work. As difficult as some other parts of my job may be, if I can serve God and do God's will, I am blessed.
I thank God for you who pray for me and for all pastors. Your first commitment to God's church is to pray for God's church and that includes God's servants the pastors. In talking with a long time dear friend moving to a new church he and I just shared about how sometimes you get overwhelmed and you do feel unappreciated and you find yourself moved. He asked, what should I do? I told him about the listening conferences that we held at FUMC-SM and how those blessed me in knowing where folks were. Then I shared how I should have done a P.I.E. with the Pastor right off the bat, because Prayer In Everthing is how a pastor and congregation should approach the work of the Lord. I told him about how special it was to have my Lay Leadership committee taking the lead in presenting (however much of a surprise that was!) books on prayer. The one called "Prayed For or Preyed On" has had the most effect on me and those who have read it. I thank God for the supernatural spiritual support that is mine because of people praying for me.
I look forward. However down some days may be, a pastor knows to let God has the last word in all things. And that means to keep the vision on what God is and will do in all situations. A Christian looks forward with faith and expectation. A Christian has to live with hope in all things. A hope in Who holds today and Who holds tomorrow.
I thank God for the wonderful blessings that have helped me come this far: A special, sent from God, wife, who has stood alongside me the entire journey. I married her because the pastor who spoke to me about her told me she was a woman of prayer. And she is. He also told me she was a tither, and that closed the deal! A pastor does well in marrying a partner who prays. One can always hire an organist or pianist, marry someone who will pray for you! I thank God that Nellie and I were blessed with four wonderful daughters. I know the journey has not been easy for them, but their faith in God has remained steady and strong. I thank God they pray for me as well.
I thank God for you who have faithfully (some since 1995) who have read the religious ramblings of this aging servant. Praise be to God!
PRAYER: Wonderful Father, we thank You for your presence and help during all our days. I pray that You would continue to encourage and invite those Whom You would have serve You. I celebrate this day as a special day of my ordination and I look forward to the days ahead. I thank You for being with me every day and for the blessings of this journey. I ask forgiveness and pray that I might be faithful to You. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
