I had the honour of sharing the sermon at the welcome service for one of my colleagues in ministry. He just completed four years of ministry in the city where he did fairly well. He is now stationed in rural Jamaica where he is serving two fledging congregations in Trelawny. As my wife and I drove to the service we couldn’t help but comment on the narrow, pothole riddled, steep path that we had to take to reach the Freeman’s Hall church. The roadsides were overgrown and one had to compete with bushes to find space to drive on what was left of the road. There were only few houses and we saw no other vehicle or pedestrian. It was a long, slow drive to the church. The lights leading to the church were dim.
My friend is following the path that the Lord is leading. The Lord has led him along a path where not many others would be willing to follow on. The congregations are small, the resources are limited and the contacts are few. But as I listened to my friend shared about his call to the ministry I sensed that one can bloom where he or she is planted. He was convinced that he was sent to these communities by God. He is not naive, he was not pretending that the issues are not there but I sensed that he trusts God, loves people and doesn’t mind going into the uncertain as long as God is with him.
When called to pastoral ministry we declare that the world is our parish. This suggests that we have a commitment to engage people where ever they are once we sense the Divine urge. The way taken by the Divine can be difficult to follow at times. The Lord leads both where the lights are bright and where the lights are dim. It is easier, I believe, to go with God when God takes us to places where ministry is in keeping with our gifts and talents, where resources are available, where people are willing to be led and equipped to do the work of the ministry. These are comfortable places, places we love to be. There are however other paths that the Lord may lead.
When the lights around us are dim it is the inner light that shines in the soul that gives clarity of vision and fixity of purpose. It doesn’t matter how dim the lights are around us, if we have the eternal light of God shining in and through our lives we will be able not only to navigate our way through ministry but we can help others to find their way in life. I am convinced that what matters in ministry is not the lights that shine on us or around us but rather the light that shines from us. The challenge of Jesus is : "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify the Father in heaven."
Perhaps doing ministry where the lights are dim is not that bad after all. We are less likely to get into the performance mode in order for the bright lights to shine on us.
Our desire should be for Jesus to make us a light for others as their lights go dim. So I pray: A LITTLE MORE OIL IN MY LAMP KEEP IT BURINING.
I pray for blessings on my friend Markel Wright as he journeys with God through Freeman's Hall and Joe Hut in Trelawny Jamaica.
peace.
4 comments:
Lights! camara! action! Many of us perform for people to see and at the same time give God a good show. Why should I serve in the dim light when I can give glory to myself in the spot light?
The challenge that we have in serving is that we are yet to believe that the greatest in the kingdom is one who serves. Society dictates that it is the one who is served that is great among us, but if we could truly take God at his word then out actions and attitudes would be different.
Immediate gratification is what many of us seek therefore if people see others serving and attending to us then we are instantly thrown into this position of power and authority, which makes us feel good about ourselves. However when we earnestly begin to seek greatness in the eyes of God only, then we will have hearts of servants, hearts that give and expect nothing in return. There is no immediate reward in loving the unlovable and touching the touchable but the Lord says whatever you do for the least of these you do also to me. Lord help our unbelief! because we are yet to embrace totally the notion that greatness will be ours when we follow the principles set out in your word. Whose report will we believe?
My friend may you grow weary of living under your own spotlight, and you learn to serve in the dim light
Good post, my brother and friend. I know what its like to pastor where the lights are dim. I am doing that right now. It is a challenge, but it is also an opportunity. The challenge is to make some sense of dim light when you look across the street and see someone else enjoying ministry in bright light. The opportunity is to be a light that expels the dimness and the surrounding darkness. I face the former, but I cherish the latter. Indeed, everyone can't pastor where the lights are bright because not all human beings live there! May the Lord empower, strengthen, and continue to journey with those of us who minister in the "valley of the shadow of death".
we are commissioned to go to the ends of the earth with the gospel and that includes some ugly corners. if we disobey, then we find ourselves in disfavour with God and this colours everything else that we attempt to do. But what a joy when we are in His will, then by faith we know and it is evidenced that the trees of the field clap their hands along with us. What a pleasure, what a joy, what a peace we have when we obey!
The most important thing is to keep in mind that even though the lights are dim, it is still a light. It may not be able to give light to as many persons if it was bright, but it is still shining. If we examine the captain of a ship who maybe out at sea, lost, but get a glimpse of even a dim light, if he keeps on going in the direction of the light he will reach home safely. I have been living in that area for some time now, I know the challenges, but there is this song that says if Jesus goes with me I’ll go. A pastor once said in a class that if we take away many of the things that goes with ministry (money, car house etc.) would we still be motivated to do ministry the way we do, being in the dim can be hard but it can also give us a chance to see what inspires us to do ministry.
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