Have you ever felt like you were spending endless hours just spinning your wheels in life and not really getting anywhere? We all want to know that the things we spend our time and energy on have value. Yet so much of our lives are filled with endless cycles of habits that can leave us feeling tired or even empty.
Even King Solomon with all his riches and wisdom realized near the end of his life that much of what he had chased after was, in the end, trivial and empty. He says in Ecclesiastes 2:17-18, “So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
How easy is it for us to miss the exceptional opportunities and settle for the “satisfactory” simply because it is more familiar? If 2022 has taught me anything, it is that we cannot waste a single moment. We can’t afford to spend our time wistfully wishing for a world that was, because, there is so much we can and should do for the world that is.
October usually begins our plans for the annual “Christmas Blessing” program. This has long been one of those exceptional opportunities. It was an exciting way to invest in the spiritual development of Pastors and Leaders. We called it a “blessing” because you have not only lovingly equipped pastors for ministry, you demonstrated how important Pastors and Leaders are as people beyond the ministry.
This year, our Pastors and Leaders have become like Moses during the battle with the Amalekites. The war continues and they must stand firm, sharing hope and caring for people impacted by the war. But they are becoming tired. They need an Aaron and Hur to support them as they labor.
Pastors are feeding, sheltering, and counseling more people than ever. Many are stretching their own personal resources to continue ministering because the lives being rescued are of more value to them than the sacrifices they are making. Other pastors have simply lost everything, yet they still find a way to serve others.
This year, the best way to bless Pastors and Leaders is with a gift that meets their own personal urgent needs. They need to feed and clothe themselves and their family. Today there is a leader who is “tightening his belt” to help feed displaced families and he needs you. There is a weary pastor giving countless hours in service to others that needs your support.
This year, will you join me in a new “Christmas Blessing?” That pastor does not have to feel alone because you can meet his needs. You don’t have to miss the familiar because you can pursue the exceptional. You can reach out today and make a difference for “The World that Is.”
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