I am often amazed that God called me. To think that the Good Shepherd sought this lost sheep and found me is at times more rapturous than I can believe! Yet my calling isn't merely to the shepherd, to be loved and cared for by him. I am privileged to serve as a local church pastor, and as such, an undershepherd of Jesus. This high calling is not simply to be among an elite group of sheep; rather, it is a call to serve God's people. I am one of those "unremarkable" individuals Tim Laniak refers to, sent out as spiritual shepherds to do the "messy work" of caring for the needs of other sheep. This work of caring for or "shouldering" people's various needs is an extension of the work of the Great Shepherd of our souls himself. And it is my life mission! How quickly the enemy of our souls longs to distract me from fulfulling this mission and living out this high calling. I am easily weighed down with the burdens and cares of others, and I forget that I am doing a "real job," and need not look elsewhere for a joy that can only come by doing this very "work." Rather than growing "weary in well-doing," I must cast myself on the shoulders of him who has carried me all along, instead of succumbing to the dark and discouraging moments of ministry. It is there that the need for accolades and thank you's is not necessary, for in the closeness of this special place, I sense the Shepherd's love anew, and I can go on in my task of caring for those who need it most. I care, becasue I am so deeply cared for by the One who loves me more than I will ever know, and who bids me share that caring love with others, renewed and inspired in my present place of service. That happens as day by day I rest in the Good Shepherd's grace, and minister to the flock by that same grace. This is the unchangable part of God's calling, and while often challenged by the uniqueness of each ministry setting, it is never compromised as long as I keep the mission before me.
Thanks for your message under Called to Care. How easy it is to "grow weary in well-doing" when we take our eyes off the Shepherd of our souls. I had to laugh when you said you were "one of those unremarkable individuals" Tim Laniak refers to...
Thanks too for the reminder that the place of fellowship with our Shepherd is where our need for praise and accolades fades away. Too often I am jockeying for position (oh maybe not as boldly as some of those sheep and goats but just as troublesome).
Right now, I am trusting God for a new thing as a student, adding it into a full life, and believing that this is to be used to serve in a way I'm not sure of yet. But as I care for the people He has in my life, He will care for me!