Thankful for...

What are you thankful for?  For what are you giving thanks this week or even this month?

This is one of the things for which I always give thanks: The people through whom God ministers to me and serves me with his Gospel.

The pastoral heart of Paul just oozes out (I was reading 2 Corinthians 6-13 when I gave thanks).  In so many different ways Paul makes his heart known to the Corinthians, whether he is urging them to grab the day of salvation now, whether he is showing them his love for them and opening wide his heart so they can see his love, whether he is encouraging them to finish the offering... again and again Paul shows the Corinthians his love for them.  Paul daily felt the pressure of his love and concern for the Corinthian Christians.  They were always on his heart and mind; they were always in his prayers.

So, often I read this section of Scripture and pray: "Lord, make me more like Paul.  Give me a pastoral heart like his."  I haven't stopped praying that prayer.  But today, my prayer changed just a little bit.

This is a great opportunity to stop and give thanks for those who have Paul's heart for me. I thank God for my wife, my parents, even my kids; I thank God for the members of AF congregation, for my pastors past and present, for my brothers in the ministry; I thank God for all who have a heart for me and long to support me and build me up into Christ.  Sometimes they bear with me in my weakness and foolishness.  Sometimes they correct me in my weakness and foolishness.  Sometimes they have to rightly put me in my place and call me to repentance.  But always they show me Christ and the cross.  Always they show me the strength and power of Christ.

Who is it that God has given you?  Who is it in your life who has a shepherd's heart for you?  Who is it that has your eternity at heart, an eternity that is yours only through Jesus' life and death?

Give thanks for them, for those who shared the Word of God with you so that you might be saved for all eternity.

Thank you, Father, for the ministry by which you care for me.  Thank you for the shepherds young or old, experienced or not so much, who have called me once again to hear your voice.  Let my heart be lifted up by the love and concern of your servants who care so much for me.  In your name, dear Jesus. Amen.