Recently a Super Bowl commercial received rave reviews showing wonderful pictures while to a recording of Paul Harvey reciting a poem honoring farmers. I was very moved by the poem and the reading by Paul Harvey. My grandfather was a farmer. I will always have special memories of my time as a child helping with the chores (as least he let me think I was helping). That work ethic still guides me today as a minister. The poem stayed with me and I penned the following as a way to honor my peers who work long and hard following God’s call as a pastor. So
with apologies to Mr. Harvey;
And Jesus founded his
church on the recognition and confession of him as the Messiah and savior of
all who place faith in him. He
sacrificed himself on the cross taking on man’s rightful punishment for sin. He rose from the grave conquering death, sin
and the grave and ascended to Heaven interceding on our behalf to this
day. Looking from Heaven he saw the
struggles of his church and said, "I need a caretaker!” So, God made a
pastor!
God said I need
somebody to get up before dawn and pray for my church and work all day
studying, preparing sermons and stay late visiting people in their homes,
hospitals and community, eat supper and then go to meetings and other visits
whenever needed to give guidance and comfort. So, God made a pastor!
God said I need
somebody with strength. Strong enough to let people lean on him when their
lives are falling apart, yet gentle enough to hold and bless a newborn baby and
celebrate life with first time parents. Somebody sturdy enough to boldly speak
up when sitting quietly may be more popular, able to face cantankerous
troublemakers with steadfastness and then forgive their misdeeds, gossip or slander, able to skip a meal and wear a worn out suit
and give his food to a needy person or clothe a poor person and tell them he’s
ok and glad to do it because they need it more than him...and mean it. So, God
made a pastor!
God said "I need
somebody that can answer questions that confound the wise, give hope to those
who seem to have lost everything, bring peace to unimaginable conflict, restore
faith in those who have given up. And...who, at Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas
and other special holiday times and seasons, will finish his forty hour week by
Wednesday noon. Then, worn out from mental, physical and emotional fatigue, put
in another seventy two hours. So, God made a pastor!
God had to have
somebody willing to cancel his own day off or personal respite when there was a
death, sickness or spiritual need yet stop everything to make certain he did
not neglect his family when others called on him so regularly. So, God made a
pastor!
God said, "I need
someone old enough to have experience and maturity, wise as Solomon and yet
young enough to have energy to play softball with the teenagers and chase with
the children and jump rope with the girls...and who will stop everything for an
hour to help a widow change her tire. So, God made a pastor!
It had to be somebody who'd do the right
thing...even when no one was watching. Somebody to study late, study early,
pray long and hard...and do without so others could have more. Somebody to look
after those who were alone and then finish a hard days work with one more
visit. Somebody who'd keep his family together with the soft strong bonds of
sharing God’s grace, patience and love, who'd laugh and then sigh and hang in
there when most would want to give up...and then respond with smiling eyes,
when his Heavenly Father says “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have
been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come
and share my happiness!'". So, God made a pastor!
