Let me share with you something God has placed on my heart. I honestly wish that God would allow me to stand before a group of seminarians someday and preach this simple message. I was thinking about the call of the ones who call themselves Pastor, or some other vocational minister. What exactly is our call? For that matter, are we living up to our call? Of course there are passages of Scripture that come to mind when talking about God's expectations for His servants. Such passages as the call for every believer to be about the business of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, making disciples (not just converts) of the Lord. Then there is the gift of ministry from Christ found in Ephesians 4:11ff, where each of those gifted by Christ for the gospel ministry are expected to be about the business of equipping the saints for ministry. And who can forget Paul's challenge to young Timothy in 2 Timothy 4, challenging him to preach the word, be ready in season and out of season and so forth. God has certainly placed a high calling on those whom He has set aside for vocational ministry.
Then I realized that among the many other passages concerning God's servant there is one that stands as an indictment on many of us. It is a simple one verse passage found in Habakkuk 2:1. It says:
I will stand my watch
And set myself on the rampart,
And watch to see what He will say to me,
And what I will answer when I am corrected. (NKJV)
Within this passage are four aspects of the man of God that we tend to forget, or at the very least neglect in our ministries. Let's look briefly at these four challenges.
First...The Man of God will be a Watchman (I will stand my watch) When I first thought of this idea I was drawn to Ezekial 33. God tells Ezekiel that he as been made a watchman. The duty of the watchman was to be faithful to keep up the watch, looking for what threatens the people. And when that threat arises, they are to speak out with all their mighty voice. When the watchman calls out, if the people do not listen then they suffer their fate, and it is on their own heads. But God warns Ezekiel that if the watchman does not stand their watch and warn the people, the people will still perish, but God will require their blood at the watchman's hand. Wow! How many ministers are so busy being popular and non-threatening that they are sitting by passively and watching thier churches crumble and the people around them die without Christ? Habakkuk's statement was one of intentionality. I WILL STAND MY WATCH. It is so much more than writing an elloquent sermon, or doing some deep blog for your people to read and go "Gee look how great our Pastor is." It is about being faithful to do your duty, which will supercede your comfort zone. Can God count on us to do the same?
Second...The Man of God will be a Warrior (I will set myself upon the rampart) I have always loved the image in Nehemiah 4. As God's people were working to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem they worked with the one hand while holding a spear or sword in the other. No matter the task they found themselves engaged in they were always ready to do battle with the enemies of God. Sometimes we as ministers forget that we are called on by God not to be popular or avoid conflict, but to fight for God, His people and His word. Too many ministers are cowards, unwilling to rock the boat, unwilling to take a stand on something that might cost them tithers for the collection plate. Tell me Pastor, are you ready to be a warrior for God; not just fighting the devil in the great battle scenes of history, but fighting his smaller battles in the trenches of your congregation and community?
Third...The Man of God will be a Wise Man (And watch to see what He will say to me) So often ministers will reach a point where they are so convinced of their "expertise" they forget to be teachable. They can become convinced that they have the knowledge they need...often times even forgetting to listen to God. I know a minister who's church has been in a state of steady decline for over 15 years. From worship to Sunday School, people have been leaving out the back door far faster than the church is winning new believers. In a conversation with him one day he basically informed me that he was a guru of church growth, knowing just how to grow the church. I sat there stunned, wanting to ask him if he had looked at his congregation recently. Job 12:13 tells us that: "with Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understadning." Tell me oh man of God, are you actively looking for what God may have to teach you? A wise man never stops learning and growing.
Fourth...The Man of God will be a Willing Servant (And what I will answer when I am corrected) Have you ever considered the fact that a true servant has to always be willing to adapt and change, meeting the needs and desires of their master? I have known way too many Pastors who would never be willing to admit when they might be wrong, or have failed in some way. No, they will assume that it is someone else's fault, or that the devil just won a victory today. But the true servant of God is always ready to be remade and reformed by God. We must be like the clay in the potter's hand that Jeremiah 18 speaks of. When we fail or are marred, God must be able to remold and remake us into whatever He may choose. It is curious to note that Habakkuk states that what he is most anxious to know is how will he respond when those times of chastisement and challenge from the Lord come. Are we, as servants of God, willing to let God change us; remold and remake us? Are we willing servants of His?
God has placed a great call on those who serve Him fulltime. But perhaps greatest of all deals with their integrity as men of God. We are called to be Watchmen, Warriors, Wise Men and Willing Servants. Dear Lord, make me into the man of God You have called me to be. Here am I, send me.
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