VISITATION

Pastors get to do lots of fun things. There are all kinds of celebrations and eating meetings and big days to enjoy. There are also sad moments and funny moments and shocking moments and spontaneous moments and detailed planned moments and waiting moments, and extemporaneous moments and many, many more moments.

I love what God has called me to do. I love preaching and planning and seeing people grow in the knowledge of the Lord. I love the variety of activities that are all part of a pastor's day.

There are few dull moments. Something is always happening or ending or starting or in transition.

People look to their pastor for prayer, comfort, advice, guidance, and leadership. They need a shepherd to lead them in the right way. These responsibilities are huge.

I still do some visitation of our flock. People do not expect as much of that has when I first started pastoring almost forty years ago, but the sick need visiting and prayer.

On Monday, Wanda and I visited several of our church family who are in hospitals or rehab centers or care centers. One is in a partial comma. One is confined to bed with several bed sores. Another is dying. My heart went out to them. We prayed and offered encouragement. We left some poinsettias. We  tried to make life better for them for a few moments.

At the end of the day, I felt good and that we had made a difference for a few moments. Pastoring has definite challenges, but with God's help we can help lighten a dark world and encourage the hurting.