For those of you who were in worship on Sunday, you were treated during the children's sermon to Isaac politely raising his hand and waiting to be called on, and upon being called on, floored me with the question, "Dad, why are you the pastor?"
Now, this isn't the first time I've heard this question, and, obviously, my previous answers have not satisfied him, most likely because they've been generic answers to simply satisfy him for the moment. Shame on me for insulting his intelligence.
It just so happened that when I came home for lunch yesterday, Amy was listening to a radio program in which the great author Max Lucado was being interviewed. I'm now one to shy away from anything that ol' Max says, so I tuned in to hear what he had to tell me.
Max responded to a question by bringing up a question that I've often asked myself as well, but, like Isaac, have probably given myself generic answers so I could simply move on. The question was, "Why did God put me here, in this exact place and time in history?" I'm sure that my previous answers have had some aspect of randomness in them, but for some reason, hearing the question yesterday really made me stop and think. Having had Isaac's question posed to me the day before certainly seemed too much like coincidence.
Undoubtedly, we're here in this place at this time in history simply because it's God's will that we should be here. Because God's got work for us to do, right here, right now. God ordained me with pastoral gifts and Calvary Lutheran Church in New Windsor felt called to bring a person in with those specific gifts for the furthering of the ministry here. It's certainly a Spirit-led connection.
But it's no different for those who have lived here for ten years, for twenty years, for fifty years or longer. It's not just by some random act of God waving His diving hand and placing you here right now. It was an intentional move by God because God needs all of us here right now. What we fail to do to carry out the ministry of the church is simply because we choose not to carry it out. 99.99% of all of the people who have ever lived at any time and at any point other than the time we live right now would love to have the conveniences and resources that we have to carry out the work of the church today. At this moment, I'm writing a blog, and when I'm done, I'll only have to hit the send button, and BAM....there it is, for many to see. One hundred years ago, this would have taken time to write this very same message, make copies, and find a way to physically deliver it to the masses.
I guess what I learned from Max was this....don't hold yourself back from living your life as a Christian. There's so many out there who long to hear this message and it's never been easier to share it. The only thing holding us back is our desire.
This brings me full circle (bet you thought I'd never get there!!). When Isaac asks me again (and he will ask me again), "why are you the pastor?" there will be no more generic answers. I am the pastor because the Holy Spirit has equipped me with certain gifts to carry out these responsibilities in this time and place. And the reason that the Spirit has endowed me with them is because so many others are seeking to be equipped and to have their gifts nurtured as well.
So, heads up, everybody. If you've got gifts to share, I'm coming after you. Because that's why I'm the pastor here.
Pastor Mark
