This past week, Chantel and I had the chance to steal away for several days in New York City. We celebrated our three year anniversary. As most pastors and church planters know, vacation can quickly turn into chance to catch up on work, check emails, or plan sermons series, but I vowed this time to unplug and rest in the gospel. We used it as a opprtunity to rest, recharge, and recall of the amazing things God has done in our lives over the past three year.
Here are three things Christ brought to my attention:
- I Am Called To Cultivate My Soul And Shepherd My Family Over And Beyond My Calling Pastor And Church Planter. The effectiveness of our church to penetrate the culture of our city with the life transforming truth of the gospel is secondary to that truth first penetrating and transforming my own soul. O how I forget that it is the glory of the King in me that will produce glory to the King through me as I fulfill my gospel call. It is also easy for me to forget that to fulfill my calling as a pastor, I must fulfilling my calling as husband and Lord willing father. How will the world see the grace filled love of the Christ for the church if I do not display love and grace to my sweet wife? O how I fail at this.
It Is The Lord Who Fights For Us And The Lord Who Plants The Church. We had the joy of spending the last few days of our vacation with our family in Harrisonburg and had the chance to attend church with them at Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Pastor Rob Buchanan preach from Exodus 14 where God commands Moses to tell the people to trust in His ability to delivers them. So Moses commands the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” I find myself consumed with the mindset that I must build the church. O how I quickly forget that God desire simply for us to trust in His ability to act.- Endurance Is Produced Not By Continued Activity But By Actively Resting In The Gospel. What is so interesting about these verses is the “active passivity” that the children of Israel commanded to display. Moses tells them to
essentially to be active observers of the saving grace of God on there behalf. I have a tendency to live between two extremes. I am either seeking to justify my self by works of ministry or I am lazily waiting for the “sovereign” God to act. The truth to be treasured here is that, no amount ingenuity can produce salvation but rather grace produces in us a fervant anticipation for the future saving work of God. O how I long to know this truth in the depth of my soul!
OnlyByHISgrace,
josh