Uplifting Tired Arms

The enemy is at the door of the church, people. Satan can do more harm with weary leaders than he can with all the temptations at his fingertips. We may not fight the actual spiritual battle, but we have a part to play. Our pastors, our leaders, our workers have a vital role to play, but like Moses they can’t do it alone. It takes others to come alongside of them. We may not be on the front lines, like Joshua leading the battle, we may not even be on the mountaintop like Moses. The role may be seemingly insignificant like holding up one arm of a key person.

Last story.

About twelve years ago a young man was visiting the home of a minister and his family. They had a good time of fellowship together over a meal, and the intent was following supper for the young man and the minister to examine a program that would be proposed as a small group bible study. Following the meal however the telephone rang. The young man was not aware of all the particulars of the conversation, but it became clear from the minister’s half of the conversation that the caller was a deeply troubled individual, possibly under the influence of narcotics or alcohol and that he had in his possession a gun. The minister eventually hung up the phone, placed a call to another individual who would meet him at the residence of the caller, and said he had to go to deal with this situation. The young man was greatly upset, and in a matter of moments, he, the minister and his wife were in a circle of prayer. As the minister left the house he turned to the young man and with a smile said “Welcome to the ministry”. The minister left for what seemed like an eternity, but later returned safe, the situation having been dealt with for the time being. The name of the minister is not really important, but I will tell you that the young man was me.

Now, here’s the point. Years ago when that minister said to me “welcome to the ministry” it was a statement that I took to mean that the work of the ministry is not all in a church in an atmosphere of relative harmony. The Ministry of Jesus Christ is not confined to two or three hours on Sunday morning with a “jump-start” service in the form of prayer meeting in the middle of the week. The ministry of Jesus Christ occurs in everyday life, in the homes, and the schools, and the workplaces, and in a lot of place none of us would dare to enter. But as I began to consider this idea of people uplifting the tired arms of our church leaders and pastor, I suddenly realized that in a tiny circle of prayer where this young men haltingly prayed for the protection of God on this minister and to safely return him to his four children and wife, that that act was an uplifting of tired and perhaps frightened arms of others.

Do you pray for your pastor? Welcome to the ministry.

Do you pray for the sick and bereaved? Welcome to the ministry.

Do you encourage and visit members of the family of God? Welcome to the ministry.

And when the membership of a congregation in a church can realize that each one is required to pray, to encourage, to uplift the tired arms of those in the forefront of the battle, when we can say to every member on Sunday morning who has accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour and is desirous of serving Him, WELCOME TO THE MINISTRY then we will have a church that is a place in which God’s people will be part of an army that truly be on the side of victory.