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Hearing, Doing, and Living the Word of God for Our Lives
From 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13: You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was toward you believers. As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, urging and encouraging you and pleading that you lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God's word, which is also at work in you believers.
This passage made me think of some of those who were my pastor as a child first hearing and learning about God's love. My parents were key, thank God, and their role was very important; but as I think back to sitting and church and hearing key things here and there, I made an early decision to become a believer. And it truly was as Paul writes, seeing God's word "at work" in me and other believers that had me in awe. The labor of these pastors, preaching, teaching, joking, caring, all was a part of that work. It was their example and model for my life that made me want to believe and later, to become like them, as I heard God's call on my life to serve Him as a minister and pastor. But, as I have learned, it is the work of all of us to seek others and work among them, sometimes night and day, sharing, witnessing, living that which changed our life. Our conduct among others should be like the Word we have heard, pure, upright, and blameless; we should not burden others with the way we live or act. We should be as parents with some; all the while urging and encouraging one another to lead lives that will witness to others.
The best appreciation we can have of our pastors is to live a life that witnesses to the work they have lived among us. And to live it in such a way, others will want to join in!
PRAYER: For all, pastors and lay, who have given of their lives to witness to mine, thank You! And let me be among those who now live a life that speaks volumes of what You have and are doing among us. In Jesus Christ I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
