1 Thessalonians 2:9 Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
I would like to get my life back. For the past eighteen months I’ve felt as though my routine has been shattered into a million pieces. I didn’t realize how much of my work would be connected to the building, renovating, and renewal of the church campus. Before we began the campaign, an elder stated that this was the equivalent of going to war. I laughed at that suggestion; I am not laughing now.
However, the church has reached that 3/4s of the way of this process and we are at the point where light can be seen at the end of the tunnel. And once I get this new office cleared of the old office junk, I’ll be able to settle in and get back to what I enjoy most: writing and preaching the Gospel.
I think that the church staff, elders, and members are feeling the same way too. We’ve labored hard together, night and day, week after week, and month after month, to make this renovation work. Hopefully, by this time next year, everything will be totally completed and we can move on into a brighter future. It will be wonderful to concentrate on our own ministries and missions, programs and projects.
When Paul wrote his letters long ago, he tried to inspire and encourage the new churches that had just been established along the Mediterranean. Lives were changed by the Spirit of Christ and the Gospel turned everything upside down. In the midst of all that newness and disarray, Paul wrote clearly and candidly in order to strengthen the foundations of faith amongst those new Christian communities. Without his letters, solid theology, and inspiring words, those churches may never have succeeded. He helped them develop a pattern, a routine, and a ministry that still exists today. He worked hard and long, but the fruits of the labor made it all worthwhile.
Perhaps you’re finding it hard to carry your faith. Maybe you’re experiencing tough times, individual illness, or personal problems. Being a Christian is never easy; being a Christian in hard times can be exhausting. But the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Good News of salvation, and the God given promises of the New Testament still inspire, encourage, and support us today. Our routines and lives may be disrupted at times, but God’s love and hold on us can never be thwarted nor taken away.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, when our lives are chaotic and out of kilter, be our anchor and mainstay. When our routines are disrupted and our days are problematic, be our Hope and Healer, our Encourager and Enabler. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.
Today’s image is one of John’s latest Appalachian winter series. It depicts an old shack covered in snow beside an East Tennessee road. If you would like to see a larger version of the print, please visit the following link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5010/5374651292_96837167f6_b.jpg
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