Sunday, February 24, 2008
Who will feed His old sheep?
When a pastor retires, does he lose his calling? Evidently he does. I say this because we have several retired pastors who attend our church and, as far as I can tell, most of them aren't doing any kind of ministry. I think they need to understand that they retired from PASTORING, not from PREACHING, or from serving God for that matter. There is one retired lay pastor who does one nursing service per month, for which I am very grateful. Another fills in whenever I need him. It is hard to get someone to fill in at a nursing home service. I guess it's because they are afraid of the prospect of getting old or unable to take care of themselves. Two men who are more than willing to go have a reason to appreciate the fact that they aren't in a nursing home. One is a man who suffered a severe head injury in a motorcycle wreck about 7 years ago. He had to rehab, learn to walk, talk, etc., again. While doing that, he had a heart attack, bypass surgery, and a stroke. He plays the piano, which he had to basically relearn. He had been a concert pianist previously. He loves to go and play for the folks and visit with them, always willing to give his testimony. The other man has little use of one arm, I believe from birth. He loves to go and sing, usually a capella, and does a good job. I was thinking of this the one Sunday they are at a facility together. How here are two guys who barely escaped being in a nursing home and they rejoice in going to entertain the people who haven't escaped being in a nursing home.
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3 comments:
I think it boils down to pure exhaustion. They've been pouring out so much for so long that they have nothing left to give. I'm not saying it's right...
We as Christians believe that if we're not doing, than we're not following God. I think it's just as important to be as it is to do.
That doesn't sound right. What I'm trying to say is...(I'm going to steal an idea from the book 'Love Languages')
We each have a tank. If we continually do, we will eventually run out of whatever is in that tank; love, energy, emotion. The only way we can get filled up again is by 'being'. By allowing others to put into us. By giving ourselves the time needed to learn and grow and be filled. Then we are ready to give again. It's a give and take relationship with God. He wants to give us so much in the form of blessing and relationships but sometimes we get so busy doing, that we ignore those things that will help us to be better at doing.
Because you're right, just because a person isn't in full-time ministry any more doesn't give them the right to stop doing ministry.
I think people don't like to think about the truth that we are ALL just one little slip or car wreak away from possible being crippled or brain damaged. Weve talked about this before (on the phone) and I still think we don't look because we know this deep down. I think it is all the more reason to go and visit, wouldn't you want to have company if you were them?
Jen, yes, you're right about having to refill the tank, but how many years does that take? I know what it feels like for your CARE bucket to run dry. During that time in my life when the whole family was having one difficult time after another, I felt that way. I found myself not caring a whit if someone at work was having a hard time financially, or whatever. I couldn't care about anything more. I was used up.
Julie, you're right, too. Remember Pastor McGaughey said we are to care for each other, from the cradle to the grave.
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