Ministry Minded

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,you were doing it to me!’~Matthew 25:37-40

How many times have you ever had this said to you, or spoken words like these to others?

"You do an amazing job of ministering to others!"

"What a wonderful ministry that man has now, after all those years of battling his drug and alcohol addictions!"

"You know, your family really is your ministry!"

Back in June of 2000, after emerging from over 40 years in the Catholic faith and then becoming a part of a church body of an entirely different denomination, I found myself very confused when people would throw the terms 'ministry' or 'minister' (as a verb) around like a softball to one another.   Minister, as far as I was concerned, was the preacher guy (or gal, depending upon how literally your church takes 1 Timothy 2:11-12); to me, it was a noun, not a verb. 

For awhile, I just chalked it up to another bit of Christian lingo I'd have to get used to hearing.  I never went through the trouble to look up the meaning, surmising that minister, when used as a verb, meant 'caring for others,' and therefore, a ministry was a group of church folk who cared for others. Easy enough.  

I was close. The word 'ministry' comes from the Greek term 'diakoneo,'  which translates 'to serve',  so a minister is a person who serves.  I guess we all could be considered ministers. You don't need to be ordained and sporting a white collar or wearing a zucchetto to comfort a grieving parent or to hand a homeless person a bottle of cold water and a sandwich.  True Christian ministry really just means lovingly, humbly, even joyfully serving the needs of others. To paraphrase the the Navy commercial from the late 70s/early 80s: 

"It's not just a vocation -- it's a lifestyle."

Yet, if you don't view it that way, much like I didn't for years, having a ministry sounds like just another pretty cool thing to sign up for and be involved with.  Glamorous, even, at first. 

But if you don't view it as a lifestyle or a life calling, it can quickly snowball into something that's more about YOU and less about those whom you serve. 

I've found there are LOTS of different ministries out there. To name a few:

Homeless ministry
Prayer ministry
Men's/Women's/Youth/Children's ministry
Prison ministry
Special Needs ministry
Shut-Ins visitation ministry
Cancer ministry
Wheelchair ministry
Church Bus ministry
Greeting card ministry
Helping Hands/Meals ministry
Water bottle ministry
Coffee ministry

Wow -- so many ministries,  so little time.  Some sounding so rewarding. Which one to choose?

Actually, I've found -- and found very recently, I might add -- 

that it's not US who do the choosing.  It's God.  

It is He who chooses and calls us to minister to, to serve, WHATEVER you want to call it, those whom Jesus referred to as: 

the least of these

Hmmm.....and just who ARE the least of these? To me, it's a fairly important question.

According to God’s Word in Matthew 25:40, whatever service we have done for and whatever loving compassion we have shown towards someone who was hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, imprisoned or just a stranger in need...“the least of these”....we have done for or shown towards Jesus Christ Himself. 

I also find it to be a difficult question (perhaps you do, too). I'll address that in an upcoming post.

But for now...please give it some thought.  When you hear or read the phrase, the least of these, who or what comes to YOUR mind? 

Whatsoever you do,
for the least of My people 
That you do unto Me.

When I was hungry, you gave me to eat;
When I was thirsty, you gave me to drink.
Now enter into the home of my Father.

When I was homeless, you opened your door;
When I was naked, you gave me your coat.
Now enter into the home of my Father.

When I was weary, you helped me find rest.
When I was anxious, you calmed all my fears.
Now enter into the home of my Father.

When in a prison, you came to my cell;
When on a sickbed, you cared for my needs.
Now enter into the home of my Father.

When I was laughed at, you stood by my side.
When I was happy, you shared in my joy.
Now enter into the home of my Father.

Whatsoever you do,
for the least of My people 
That you do unto Me. ~ Catholic Hymn

A Word For The Overwhelmed

So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don't give up. ~ Galatians 6:9, HCSB

When things are flying at you from all directions; when you feel bombarded and frustrated and weary, ill-equipped to face what (or whom) is staring you down; when anxiety and fear threaten to paralyze you today; when whatever you have done and are currently doing looks like it's not making any difference to anyone, but instead, seems like SUCH a waste of time -- take a breath. Look to and lean on your God and your King.

Palm Sunday/Worship Song Sunday -- Hosanna by Selah

The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.  They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the King of Israel!”

Today is Palm Sunday.  As a little girl, I loved Palm Sunday.  While there were no presents in it for me, as there were at Christmas, nor any baskets of yummy candy as at Easter (and not that this was what these two holy, holidays were supposed to be about, but hey....I was just a kid, after all), there was still something very special to me about Palm Sunday.  


In my church, several people would be stationed at the each of the entrances to the sanctuary, holding huge armfuls of the green branches to hand out to everyone as they filed in.  Sitting in my seat at church between my parents, I'd rub the palm branch with my fingers, luxuriating in the smoothness and the fresh 'greenness' of it; waving it until I would inadvertently wind up poking someone in the face or the eye with it (usually, my mother) and have it taken away until it was time for EVERYONE in the church to wave it, crying out "Hosanna in the highest!" I can still remember the sound of all the palm branches swooshing in the air. 


Afterwards, we'd go home and my mother would again highjack my palm branch and place it with hers and my father's, generally hanging them over some picture frame in our living room (I have NO CLUE what the significance was in doing that), where they would remain until just before the next Palm Sunday, when they would mysteriously disappear (only God knows what my mother did with them.  Perhaps she made special deliveries to our church rectory, since the burning of palms is where the ashes come from for Ash Wednesday).   


When I got a little older, I befriended a girl whose mother used to weave palms together to make crosses, much like this one:

I was so amazed at her talent (hey -- don't laugh. To me, it was a talent.  I couldn't even get the hang of making those crazy necklaces out of gum wrappers that were all the rage back then) and would try to sneak extra palm branches out of the church (such a thief I was!) to bring to my friend's mom so she could make me my own palm cross.  Sadly, I don't know of anyone who makes them any more.  It's a lost art. 


Over the years, I've attended various churches that, oddly enough, barely made mention of Palm Sunday.  The first year I attended the church I now call my home church, they didn't hand out a single palm (that has changed, thankfully).  What was THAT all about? I really wish I could tell you.


But clearly, Palm Sunday is not just a day for the church to hand out green, leafy branches with which to decorate one's house (or to poke another's eye out); so much more than the waving and weaving of palms. 


Way back in the day, the palm branch was a victory symbol. The Romans distributed palm branches to reward the champions of their gladiator games and chariot races, as well as in celebration of their military successes.  The Jewish community followed a similar tradition of carrying palm branches during festive times, most likely taking that from the Romans.


Passover was one such festive time, and it was during this time of celebration that Jesus made His triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem, riding on the back of a young donkey. Many of Jesus' followers ran to meet Him, throwing their cloaks in His path and waving palm branches, not only in celebration of the festival, but to celebrate and acknowledge that this Jesus was their King, the One Who would bring salvation to them. Waving their palms, they cried out, "Hosanna to the Son of David!! Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest!" (Matthew 21:9, NIV).


When the word 'Hosanna' is used, it's generally as a word of praise, which indeed it is.  But there is another meaning for it as well. The Old Testament Hebrew word, pronounced hoshiya na, (and later, recorded in New Testament Greek as 'hosanna'),  literally translates  'save, we pray; help, we pray,' as it is written in Psalm 118:25. 


Amazing -- in the Old Testament, Hosanna is a cry for help; in the New Testament, it becomes a cry of praise/adoration to and recognition of the One the crowd welcomed as their Helper, their Messiah, their King.  


Even more amazing -- when Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem, He is coming not as a warrior King, riding on a proud war horse, as one might expect. No, He makes His entrance as a humble King, riding on a lowly donkey, which in the Eastern tradition, was considered an animal of peace. Certainly not what His people expected of their Messiah.

Today, Palm Sunday, marks the beginning of Holy Week.  Jesus, after making His journey into Jerusalem, is about to embark on yet another journey -- one that is much, much less celebratory. 


It is a darker, harsher, lonelier path which Jesus will take to the Via Dolorosa, or The Way of Suffering.


Let's join together in worship of our King of kings, our Lord of lords, our Prince of Peace -- our Savior, Who suffered and died (and rose again!) for us, so that we could live.


Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest!

Worship Song Sunday -- Draw Me Nearer, by Meredith Andrews

"And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself." ~ John 12:32, ESV


Last month, I posted about fasting during the season of Lent.  Much of the time, Lenten is viewed as a time to give up, abstain, turn away from something in our lives to which we give too much time, focus and priority.  But it can also be about our doing something different in our lives to bring us closer to the Lord, be it committing  to spending more time in contemplation, prayer, reading His Word, or in service to others. 


In her book, 'Fasting,' by Lynne M. Baab, she shares a story about a young woman who decided that during Lent, she would only listen to Christian music, and made herself a CD of  specific songs that were meaningful to her. 


I really liked that idea and decided to try that for myself. I spent several days carefully choosing songs for my CD and iPod playlist.  


In my search, I came across this song from a CD by Meredith Andrews that I'd downloaded to my laptop several years ago and had long since forgotten.  In fact, I don't ever remember listening to this particular song (I don't know about anyone else, but I'll often just listen to the songs on CDs that are more popular, get more radio play, etc., and kind of bypass the other ones).  


But as I looked over the list of songs on her CD, this title jumped out at me, as it definitely went along with the musical theme I had in mind for my playlist (songs of brokenness, repentance, forgiveness, grace, selfless love, redemption, a deeper relationship with the Lord).  I gave it a listen and was just blown away and so very moved by the singer's tender plea for a greater closeness, a sweeter intimacy with Jesus. 

The Clay, by Ron DiCianni

May this song bring you to a closer, more intimate time of worship with the King of kings and Lord of lords.  

Safely Home, by Ron DiCianni

In Your nearness I take shelter
Where You are is where I'm home,
I have need of only one thing
To be here before Your throne,
To be here before Your throne,
So draw me nearer, Lord
Never let me go, 
Closer to Your heart
Draw me nearer, Lord~ Draw Me Nearer, by Meredith Andrews

Worship Song Sunday -- A Mighty Fortress, by Christy Nockels

    He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, 

shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, 

  He is my refuge and my fortress; my God; in Him I will trust.

  Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the perilous pestilence.  He shall cover you with His feathers, 

   and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.~ Psalm 91:1-4, NKJV

Rock of Cashel, Tipperary, Ireland

I remember when, as a little girl, one of my favorite fantasies was to pretend to be a much loved, beautiful princess living in a grand, towering, impenetrable castle. Living under the protection of the strong and sturdy castle walls with my powerful father -- my Daddy -- the King, nothing or no one could touch me or hurt me. 


When I got older, I found that fantasy really wasn't so far-fetched of a notion.  My maiden name is Cashel, and my dad was of pure Irish descent. One year, a friend of our family, on vacation in Ireland, sent us a postcard from Tipperary, which bore the picture of a huge castle on the front, called the Rock of Cashel, or 'Cashel of Kings' (Cashel is Irish Gaelic for stone ringfort, which is a fortified settlement or castle).  On the back of the postcard were the words, "See, I always knew you came from royalty!"  


I must admit I was quite mesmerized by that image of royalty and strength on the postcard. In all my childhood times of pretending, I couldn't have imagined anything more breathtaking and mighty than that castle, that Rock.


Today, I know that there is.  My God -- my Father and my King.  

From the ends of the earth I call to you, 
   I call as my heart grows faint; 
   lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 
 For you have been my refuge, 
   a strong tower against the foe.
 I long to dwell in your tent forever 
   and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. 
                         Selah  ~ Psalm 61:2-4, NIV

When the flood waters of life threaten to sweep me away, He is my Rock.
When chaos surrounds me, He is my Hiding Place.
When peace and rest elude me, He is my Shelter.
When trials become too overwhelming for me, He is my Refuge.
When I am bombarded by attacks from the enemy, He is my Fortress.


As you worship the Lord God today, I invite you to picture yourself as a beloved princess (or prince), dwelling in that secret place -- your hiding place -- of the Most High.  Abiding in the shadow of the Almighty.  Protected and safe within the confines of His mighty Fortress.  Sheltered beneath the refuge of His wings. 


Selah.

Worship Song Sunday -- King of Glory, by Third Day

Who is this King of glory?

The LORD strong and mighty,

the LORD mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, you gates;

lift them up, you ancient doors,

that the King of glory may come in.

Who is He, this King of glory?

The LORD Almighty --

He is the King of glory. ~ Psalm 24:8-10

King of Glory, by Leslie Young Marks

Glory.  We talk and sing a lot about glory. 


God's glory. 


I've often heard, during worship songs and during sermons, God's people calling out, 'Glory, glory!' Lately, it seems as if God has been pointing me to particular Scripture verses that speak of His glory, like the one I've referenced above.  But what exactly is it? 

I'm certainly no Bible scholar or theologian, so I did a little research and came away with this from Christian preacher and author, John Piper:  "I believe the glory of God is the going public of His infinite worth.  I define the holiness of God as the infinite value of God, the infinite, intrinsic worth of God.  God's glory is the radiance of His holiness."

When we glorify God, we are publically announcing and pointing out to everyone in our sphere of influence the shining light of His glory, radiating from Him:  His incredible awesomeness, His perfect holiness, His breathtaking majesty, His amazing love, His overwhelming strength and power.  It's Who He is.  He is the King of Glory.  There is NO ONE ELSE like Him.  Let's worship our King!

Who is this King of Glory, 

With strength and majesty?

And wisdom beyond measure,

The gracious King of Kings;

The Lord of Earth and Heaven,

The Creator of all things;

Who is this King of Glory,

He's everything to me!

His Name is Jesus

Precious Jesus;

The Lord Almighty

The King of my heart

The King of Glory

(please note: for some reason when you click on the arrow to view this particular video, a message comes up informing you that the content of it is restricted from certain sites -- obviously this blog site.  Just click on the link that says 'Watch on YouTube' and it'll take you to the video. My apologies for the slight inconvenience/annoyance.)

Worship Song Sunday -- All Things New, by Elevation Worship

Hello, dear readers, and a happy, blessed new year to you all!

It's a brand new year and a brand new day on the calendar -- and in your life.  A clean slate, a fresh page for you and Jesus to continue writing the story of your life upon. 

The January 1st entry from the devotional, 'Streams In The Desert' says this:

Today, dear friends, we stand upon the verge of the unknown.  There lies before us the new year and we are going forth to possess it.  Who can tell what we shall find? What new experiences, what changes shall come, what new needs shall arise? But here is the cheering, comforting, gladdening message from our heavenly Father, "The Lord they God careth for it." "His eyes are upon it away to the ending of the year."

When you live a Spirit led life, when your daily walk is a walk, hand in hand, with the King of Kings Himself, every day is a great adventure.  Indeed, a new year awaits us.  Let's go forth, together, to possess it, worshiping the One Who makes ALL things new!

And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” ~ Revelation 21:5, NASB

Worship Song Sunday -- Here With Us, by Joy Williams

'This is how God showed His love among us; He sent His One and Only Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.' ~ 1 John 4:9-10

A very Merry Christmas to all of my precious friends here!! 

Christ is come -- let all creation sing!  May you have a wonderful, joyful and blessed day, spending time with the family and friends our Lord has gifted you with; worshiping our King, Jesus; celebrating His birth and the fact that He came for us. He loves us. He is here with us. 


'Birth of The King,' by Michael Dudash



Worship Song Sunday -- Christmas Offering, by Casting Crowns

Have a beautiful and blessed Sunday as you offer yourself in worship to our King, Jesus

We are an offering of worship to our King
No one on earth deserves the praises that we sing
Jesus may You receive the honor that You're due
O Lord, I bring an offering to You

 

How Far Would You Go For Jesus?

I wrote a poem after watching NBC's Today Show this morning, which featured a live, outdoor performance by teen singing sensation, Justin Bieber.

For years, I've been intrigued by folks who have turned following particular performers, bands or celebrities into an art form and seemingly life-long, personal quest.  For example, I used to work with a guy who took an entire week off from work whenever singer Jimmy Buffett was touring so he could attend not just one, but many of Buffet's concerts in our tri-state area.  Several years ago, when my daughter was head-over-heels for the Jonas Brothers band, we attended one of their concerts in Camden and met a group of girls who weren't from our area (NJ) but who'd spent a good portion of their summer following them from city to city. When we asked them how they could afford to do that, they laughingly informed us that one girl's dad had taken off from work FOR THE ENTIRE SUMMER just to drive them to each town where the Jonas Brothers would be performing.  I couldn't begin to hazard a guess at how much THAT was costing dear old Dad. 

And this summer when I took my daughter to see singer Taylor Swift when she came to Philadelphia, I was amazed by the elaborate costumes, makeup and signage her fans sported.

And then, of course, there are those Extreme Sports Fans -- a species in a class all their own, who have no problem smearing their bodies with paint to match their team's colors, shaving their heads or donning humongous, crazy-colored wigs and showing up in the sports arena's parking lot at dawn to begin the tailgating festivities.  Many have also been known to withstand totally frigid temps while COMPLETELY BARECHESTED as they cheer their teams on to victory! 

It's mind-boggling to me just how far a person would go to show their fan allegiance to someone else.  And it got me thinking -- how far would they go for Jesus?

How far would you go for Jesus?

Would you --

Be filled with excitement
and jump up and down
if you heard the Messiah
was coming to town?

Would you --

Keep your kids out of school?
Call out of work sick?
Invite some of your friends?
Which ones would you pick
to travel with you
to follow this Man?

Are you sure you're His follower
and not just a fan?

How far would you go for Jesus?

Would you --

Spend your time and your cash
working days to design
a glittery, neon-color
Poster board sign

To hold high in the air
in the hopes that He'd see
your message for Him:
"I © JC!"

Would you --

Pull out all of the stops
to follow this Man?
Are you sure you're His follower
And not just a fan?

How far would you go for Jesus?

Would you --

Brave nasty weather?
Camp out all night in line
for a glimpse of the One
fully Man and Divine?

Wear a bright, fuzzy wig?
Paint your face, arms and chest
and ignore those who call you
insane and obsessed
to go through such effort
to follow this Man?

Are you sure you're His follower
and not just a fan?

How far would you go for Jesus?

Would you --

Stand in the cold and the snow,
mud and rain?
Stand 'til your feet, legs and back
screamed in pain?

Then text Him or Tweet Him
or friend Him on facebook
just to tell Him you downloaded
His Word to your Nook?

Or.....

Would you --

Follow this King
to the ends of the earth?
Forsake family and friends?
Leave the land of your birth
to respond to His call
and His will for your life
whether son or a daughter,
whether husband or wife?

Would you --

Help heal the broken,
the sick and the lame?
Give cups of cold water
in Jesus's Name?

Help feed the hungry
and comfort the fearful?
Hold the hands of the dying,
dry the eyes of the tearful?

Would you --

Go anywhere and
do anything?
Maybe die upside-down
on a cross for this King?

I rise before dawn
while my family's in bed
Humbly drop to my knees
and then bow my head
Asking "How far would I go
to follow this Man?"

Making sure I'm His follower
And not just a fan.