To University Baptist Church: When I think about the weighty honor of being called as your pastor, I am drawn to Solomon’s prayer in 1 Kings 3:7-9: “And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” There is, of course, a great difference between Solomon’s calling to be king over Israel and a minister’s calling to pastor a local church. Today, the people of God do not need a new king. The succession of kings in God’s kingdom ended two-thousand years ago when the promised Son of David ascended to his throne and sat down at the right hand of God. Jesus is our King! He is yours and mine, and we joyfully embrace his claim over our lives. To him we are all directly accountable. He is the Good Shepherd of the church now and always. Nevertheless, the Good Shepherd King has seen fit to call men to serve as his undershepherds. Under his reign, they are charged to be faithful stewards, dependable examples, reliable guides, compassionate care-givers, and fearless defenders. Like Solomon, such men have a weighty responsibility of caring governance among God’s people. With this reality in mind, I am particularly drawn to Solomon’s candid acknowledgment of his own inadequacy. “I am but a little child. I do not know how to come out our go in.” We don’t know how old Solomon was when he became king, but whether he was seventeen or thirty-seven, his physical age isn’t the point. The point is that when Solomon considers the gravity of his task from a spiritual perspective, he feels as helpless as a small boy. In this prayer, we can see that Solomon’s desperate humility was magnified by three things: First, Solomon recognized the will of God was at work in his appointment (vs. 7a). Second, he knew that he was a man of many fallen limitations (vs. 7b). Third, he understood the greatness of the privilege of serving God’s chosen people (vs. 8). These three things compounded the gravity of the task at hand and pressed upon Solomon with tremendous weight. And they apply to me as well. Though our context is different, the parallels are remarkable: First, God has brought me to you by revealing and confirming his will throughout this process. Second, I have many fallen limitations. Third, I am responsible to serve God’s chosen and redeemed people, the greatest people in the world. When I consider these things, I am pressed down by the weight. The first thing that I want you to know about me is that I am coming to you with a deep sense of both honor and awe. I am filled with joy and excitement at the honor of serving you, God’s people, but I am equally filled with sober-minded awe about the task. Though I am deeply moved at the privilege that is before me, this privilege brings me face to face with my inadequacies in a profound way. So let’s be clear, the answer to Solomon’s concluding question, “Who is able to govern this your great people?” is not me or any other pastor. It is only and always King Jesus. Our Lord is fully capable of exercising direct authority and intimate care toward all of his followers and all of their fellowships. Jesus is the King who fulfills Solomon’s need, and as such, he is the very source of wisdom for all his servants. It is the undershepherd’s job simply to facilitate Christ’s direct influence in the church by drawing upon him in humility. But that is still pretty intimidating. So I am asking God for the same thing that Solomon requested. I desperately need “understanding” and “discernment.” Honestly, when I consider the magnitude of ministry, I feel as helpless as a small boy. But I know that this is the place where the Father wants his children because the place of desperate dependence is actually a meeting place. It is where Christ encounters his servants and pours out his empowering presence. It is where the empty are filled with his Spirit. So here is my request of you: Will you please pray Solomon’s prayer over me and over the others who are in roles of leadership in the church? Will you please ask God to give us understanding and discernment? Will you make it your regular habit to beg Christ’s wisdom on our behalf? And while you are at it, will you pray it over yourself as well? Will you beg his wisdom for all the responsibilities he has given you? Will you also pray this prayer over this entire fellowship of believers called University Baptist Church? Will you pray for us to be collectively emptied of ourselves and filled with him? After all, he is our only hope for doing anything right. I am deeply honored to become part of this family of believers. Thank you for the privilege of serving you. You have already blessed me and my family in numerous ways, and I eagerly desire to be a blessing in return. So I am depending on him for that strength. May God give us all the understanding and discernment of the King to represent him well to each other and to the world! I love you because He loves us, Glenn - 1 John 4:11, 19
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 12:50:57 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015