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Jan. 25, 2009

Ministry Stinks

And no, I am not really complaining. I am not using figurative language. What I mean is, real life stinks. Real ministry literally stinks. Dealing with humans, reaching out with the love of Christ stinks. It means hugging a kid who hasn't had a bath in weeks and probably hasn't had a hug in even longer. It means letting the homeless guy sleep on your couch when it is 22 outside, even though you know it will take a week and a bottle of Febreeze to get it back to normal. It means you don't get a nap on Sunday afternoon because you take the family to lunch whose mom just got saved. And then it's time for choir before you catch your breath. It means you gag when you tell the shepherds and wise men to take off the shoes for the Christmas play, because then you smell feet for the next hour or three. It means you are on the bus for 2 hours with teenage boys who love nothing better then to pass gas and then spend hours talking about it. Ministry really stinks.

You know what stinks to God? Not unbathed kids, or homeless men or flatulent teenagers. Me. Self-righteous, hypocritical , pharisaical me. I am so aware of my own self-righteous stench because I am trying to love these people. Because it doesn't come naturally. Because I have to sometimes work really hard at it. And because I see my own inadequacies so clearly. I can't do this in my own strength. I fail miserable when I try.

Psalm 38

1O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
2For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.
3There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.
4For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
5My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

And when I can admit this, when I truly confess it and come before God with my burnt-out, hopeless, defeated self, I start to smell a little better. A little sweeter. My prayers become like incense that covers the foul stench of my brokenness.

Psalm 141

1 LORD, I call on You; hurry to [help] me.
    Listen to my voice when I call on You.
    2 May my prayer be set before You as incense,
    the raising of my hands as the evening offering.

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Comments

Jan. 25, 2009 - Untitled Comment

Posted by SeekingJESUSnTeachingKIDS

Well said! And your eternal kingdom work will not return to you void. God will give you the strength for all He has planned for you. As a Mom who sends there kids to Sunday school. THANK YOU!!!
:>Michelle

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