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Ministry of Presence

January 30th, 2008 · 6 Comments · 25 views

I prayed with a family this morning who’s dad will face cancer surgery in a few hours.

I’ll grab his kids for lunch today. We’ll eat tacos and burritos, laugh, get serious for a bit. We’ll talk about stuff both meaningful and trivial. We’ll pray.

I used to call a day like this a ‘wasted day’ because I won’t get a lot done today. At least measurable stuff…like sermon notes, sermon slides, or youth planning.

But I know better now. I guess part of it is getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. Just walking alongside someone without really bringing anything to the table. I know my awkwardness is nothing to the pain and crisis they are dealing with.

The other part of it is just knowing Jesus better and realizing he’s got the Savior of the World position covered so I don’t have to worry about being that. My senior pastor in Kansas (Al Areheart) taught me that - just show up and pray. Be there. Let Jesus be Jesus, you just be there. That’s enough.

Al called it the ministry of presence. How right he was.

Tags: leadership · theological ramblings

6 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Kitty // Jan 30, 2008 at 6:14 pm

    You’ve walked alongside us in those times, and you do it very well! God definitely uses you more than you may realize!

    The “ministry of presence….” I like that!

  • 2 Mom // Jan 30, 2008 at 11:13 pm

    ..People don’t care so much about what you know. They care about how much you care.
    You do that very well.

  • 3 Ann // Jan 31, 2008 at 8:49 am

    anyone can show up, pray and leave. it takes a Minister to show up, pray with the family, doctors and nurses before a baby is stillborn, as you did in our situation. the world needs more relational ministers. (and caed would’ve been two last sunday…its insane that its been that long!)

  • 4 Tony Myles // Feb 1, 2008 at 12:42 am

    This is why I have many late nights where I have to get the busy work done.

  • 5 Grant // Feb 1, 2008 at 9:34 am

    Late nights…yep, me too. Nice to know you’ll be up with me, Tony!

    Ann - I still have no words. I love you and Heath to pieces.

  • 6 Carol // Feb 3, 2008 at 10:24 pm

    the ministry of presence… that’s beautiful.

    Thanks, I needed that.

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