Hebrews 13:7 Pray for our Leaders
“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (NIV).
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My foray into the watering of my plants yesterday gave me a continuation of what I considered yesterday, the feeding we receive from the Word of God. I could view the plants in our garden as individual plants or I can see them as a coordinated group. All receive the same watering, but each one grows differently. Their differences add “flavor” to our flower patch. In fact, I might say that their differences complete the picture. Each one looks better because of the others. The same can be said for the Church. We all receive the same teaching, but we may well react differently. We each have separate and individual gifts for separate and individual works. When we all receive the feeding well and grow as we receive the Word of God, the Church shines for our Lord and growth occurs.
It is the responsibility of the leader, the one we call “pastor” to preach, teach, admonish, correct, and train us in the ways of the Lord. That’s a heavy responsibility, and we need to appreciate and pray for our pastors as they lead us forward in the work of the Kingdom.
As a congregation, we all receive the same teaching, and when we apply it to our lives in the manner intended by God, church growth occurs. I don’t mean church growth in terms of numbers, although that may well occur, but growth in the lives and witness of each of us as followers of Jesus Christ. As we learn and as we grow, we support and complement each other so that the work that God intends for our church is accomplished. Our individual works bring “flavor” to the work of our church. Our individual works move our church forward on the road of completion of our task. Only when we work together can we shine the brightest for our Lord. We each receive blessing from the written Word, and we each receive the spoken Word as given by our pastors as an additional blessing. It is the intention of God that His chosen pastors will open the Scriptures beyond what we may see on our own. It is indeed His intention that our pastors lead us in the direction God has for our church.
So, let us give thanks for our leaders, our pastors, and let us lift them in prayer so that each one may fulfill his or her purpose given by God.