Prepared for good work

I read this morning that society is like a stream. If we don’t like the direction it is going, we face a choice: We can either stand on the banks, yelling and screaming about what is wrong with the stream, or we can roll up our pant legs and wade in. We need the mindset that says we will do whatever it takes to affect positive change.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

If God saved is to do good works and prepared us to do them and we are not engaged in them; no wonder we go about unfulfilled! We should be involved in significant ministries no matter what our professional occupations are. One of the things I try to do as a pastor is to make it easy for people to be involved in service. It may sound funny to say, but sometimes I feel like it is a difficult task to make that service avenue easy. Actually sometimes it would be easier to simply do it myself. The equipping of others to do ministry work is one of the key tasks assigned to pastors. God didn’t tell us it would be easy but He did indicate it would be more effective and more would get done if we follow His leadership model. That, in no way, relieves me of personal service tasks. I learned many years ago that I do not have the right to ask others to do what I am not willing to do myself. I cannot ask you to pray if I am not a praying person. I cannot ask you to give if I am not willing to give. I should not ask you to work if I am not willing to work.

I think I need to get to work.