Hold Fast

“Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.” (2Jo 1:8 AV)

John reveals the heart of a pastor here.  We realize our ministry is limited.  We know that we cannot bring everyone into a state of Christlikeness.  We know that we have strengths and weaknesses.  We know that other men of God will come along and minister in a different way with different strengths to bring the body of Christ into a state which glorifies our Savior.  We would be naïve to think our ministry alone was sufficient for the care of the sheep under our stewardship.  It has always bothered me why pastors rotate pulpits.  Most do.  Only those with larger churches with a support staff to assist them tend to stay for a long period of time.  They have a multitude of voices on their staff to assist them in areas of weakness.  But the small churches with only one man seem to rotate out and in several pastors in the life of the individual.  But what we desire is stated clearly above.  Our prayer is those things successfully taught be not so soon forgotten or abandoned.  Our heart’s desire is our labor would not be in vain.  We would hope that our imprint upon their hearts would be a lasting one to the glory of Christ and Him alone.

I have three sons.  They are remarkable people.  Each has a deep heart for service to the Master.  As their father and pastor, there came a time when I had to hand them off to other men of God.  These men were more gifted and experienced in areas of life and ministry which I was lacking.  It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but at the same time, fulfilling.  I knew that my time of influence was coming to an end and it was time for them to learn things which I could not teach them.  Had I insisted they stay close to their father’s influence, they never would have been able to grow into what the LORD would have them to be.  One comfort that strengthens my saddened heart is the knowledge that my influence on them was not wasted.  Us four men may not all agree on every point, but there is a kindred spirit of love for God and a servant’s heart that cannot be broken.  I know, as sure as I am sitting here writing this entry, that my sons will not falter from the call of God on their lives.  They will not fall away.  They will not fall out.  I may or may not have been the greatest influence on them, but I know the LORD used me to shape them; even if a little bit; into the men they are today.

The same is true of a church.  It would break the heart of a pastor or missionary to learn the years of their work didn’t make all that much of a difference.  It would break their heart to see all the sweat and tears shed for a body of believers go by the way side because the adversary, flesh, or the world gained an advantage.  It would be a tough pill to swallow if those for whom the man of God labored turned their back on all they had been instructed and went right back into what he labored so hard to bring them out of.  If the man of God won a soul, his heart would break of they eventually went right back into the world.  It would break his heart if he labored so hard to restore sound doctrine, cleanse the body of carnality, or set a clear course for the future only to see those things fad away.  That is our heart.  That the body hold fast and continue on.