"As they passed the rows of houses they saw through the open doors that men were sweeping and dusting and washing dishes, while the women sat around in groups, gossiping and laughing.
"What has happened?" the Scarecrow asked a sad-looking man with a bushy beard, who wore an apron and was wheeling a baby-carriage along the sidewalk.
"Why, we've had a revolution, your Majesty -- as you ought to know very well," replied the man; "and since you went away the women have been running things to suit themselves. I'm glad you have decided to come back and restore order, for doing housework and minding the children is wearing out the strength of every man in the Emerald City."
"Hm!" said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully. "If it is such hard work as you say, how did the women manage it so easily?"
"I really do not know," replied the man, with a deep sigh. "Perhaps the women are made of cast-iron.""
- L. Frank Baum, "The Land of Oz"
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The following is from Spurgeon's Morning and Evening devotional for July 7th. In reading it I was reminded how much our pastors need prayer.
Please pray for the pastors in the Thinklings (Jared and Phil) and for your own pastor this morning.
“Brethren, pray for us.”
1 Thessalonians 5:25
This one morning in the year we reserved to refresh the reader’s memory upon the subject of prayer for ministers, and we do most earnestly implore every Christian household to grant the fervent request of the text first uttered by an apostle and now repeated by us. Brethren, our work is solemnly momentous, involving weal or woe to thousands; we treat with souls for God on eternal business, and our word is either a savour of life unto life, or of death unto death. A very heavy responsibility rests upon us, and it will be no small mercy if at the last we be found clear of the blood of all men. As officers in Christ’s army, we are the especial mark of the enmity of men and devils; they watch for our halting, and labour to take us by the heels. Our sacred calling involves us in temptations from which you are exempt, above all it too often draws us away from our personal enjoyment of truth into a ministerial and official consideration of it. We meet with many knotty cases, and our wits are at a non plus; we observe very sad backslidings, and our hearts are wounded; we see millions perishing, and our spirits sink. We wish to profit you by our preaching; we desire to be blest to your children; we long to be useful both to saints and sinners; therefore, dear friends, intercede for us with our God. Miserable men are we if we miss the aid of your prayers, but happy are we if we live in your supplications. You do not look to us but to our Master for spiritual blessings, and yet how many times has He given those blessings through His ministers; ask then, again and again, that we may be the earthen vessels into which the Lord may put the treasure of the gospel. We, the whole company of missionaries, ministers, city missionaries, and students, do in the name of Jesus beseech you
“Brethren, pray for us .”
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Comments on "Pray for the Pastors":
2. Shrode
- 07/07/2010 9:37 am CDT
My favorite part:
We meet with many knotty cases, and our wits are at a non plus; we observe very sad backslidings, and our hearts are wounded; we see millions perishing, and our spirits sink. We wish to profit you by our preaching; we desire to be blest to your children; we long to be useful both to saints and sinners; therefore, dear friends, intercede for us with our God.
That is so true. I feel this every day.
Of course, pastoring is also a great joy because I get a front row seat to the work God is doing in people's lives.
4. Deacontrek
- 07/10/2010 5:12 pm CDT
Beautiful. And yes, I will pray for Jared and Phil, even though they are not my pastors, I have benefited from their wisdom on here. I pray every evening for my pastor who is also my best friend. What a wonderful thing that is and what a blessed privilege to pray for pastors.
Leave a Comment:
This is beautiful stuff. It's harder these days, it seems, to talk about your needs as a pastor. It seems to be received as complaining or self pity. You hope, sometimes, that others will speak up in your behalf, but they usually don't. After 20 years of serving, 13 of them full time, I still have people ask me on occasion what my "real" job is. It's kind of nutty. But I love what I do and wouldn't do anything else. I am blessed beyond anything I ever imagined.