I was just thinking about all the Sunday “duties” a pastor/associate might have in addition to preaching,
- Touch base with someone
- Meetings with lots of someones
- Teach someone
- Counsel someone
- Make sure certain people know certain things
- Announce something
The list is endless. In addition, associate pastors have our minds on everything we have to do in the coming week, not including the things that have cropped up on just this one Sunday. Not to mention what’s happening in our family and personal life. It’s a lot and easy to ask, “When do I get to worship?” Have you been there?
“A religious Jew tries to bring holiness into everything they do, by doing it as an act that praises God, and honours everything God has done. For such a person the whole of their life becomes an act of worship.”
In thinking about this, it puts what I did on Sunday’s in perspective
- If I have to discipline one of God’s children for their benefit and for the benefit of the body, this is honoring to God.
- If I have to counsel someone in trouble this is honoring God.
- If I have to do announcement so a need is met, this is to the Glory of God.
Our work is holy and is worship. My heart is mine to direct. I can see my work as labor or as worship. I can also choose to clear my mind and focus on who God is instead instead of the work that needs to be done.
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10
As those who work in the church, we have to anchor our hearts in the Lord and not in the work. Jesus said,
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29
If our hearts our yoked to Jesus, our work become worship and our burden rests in Christ hands.