Why We Do Ministry

As a youth worker I realize the hard times are sometimes more frequent than the joyful ones. But we signed up knowing this right? We knew God worked on His time schedule and that we are instruments. But what happens when you stop believing in this. When you start wondering about the Call. When you give up. We need to remember what we are really doing.

When the house is burning down, or the waves are too high to swim, or there’s no breath left-when these crisis situations are happening, don’t we trust in the firefighter, the rescue swimmer, or the paramedic? We do because we have hope they can save us and will. We trust they want to get us help and give us a better chance. When you see these stories in movies like Backdraft, The Guardian, or any number of rescue plots you just want to stand up and clap for their bravery and passion to save people. You’re inspired to be a better person, a more selfless person, a person with a mission. Wow. Even as I say this I am inspired to greater things.

Here’s the deal though. That’s us. We’ve been called to be that person for our students. They are lost. They might be struggling for life. They are definitely in dark places sometimes. And isn’t it wonderful when we see them growing? But sometimes things get hard. Sometimes they don’t grow like we’d hoped. Sometimes they rebel. We are fighting a very real battle for the souls of our students. We are here to help them see the light, reach for the impossible, train to be a warrior. But just like we want to trust that the firefighter is carrying us to safety we need to know that we are leading these guys to a God they can trust and lean on. Do you believe in that? Do you trust that God’s arms are the best place for them to be? Do you trust that His arms are the best place for you? Tough questions but without knowing the answer we blindly lead students to a place where there is a shaky foundation and their hope may not stand up to the crash if something falls.

And something always falls. It might be people making fun of them. It could be a divorce or a death or anything. When those times happen, what do they trust in to rescue them? We want them to fall on Jesus because He is the best place for them to be. But we need to KNOW that we are falling on Jesus when our world crashes. We are the team helping God seek out those lost in the sea. Some may be easier to reach than others, but He doesn’t want us to leave anyone. If we quit, who really loses? Because this isn’t really about us is it? No. It’s about Him. And He wants all of them. Sometimes we can’t get all of them, but our goal is getting those we can. He does the work, we just reach them. In the movie “The Guardian” there is a theme for the US Coast Guard that goes like this: “So others might live.” We do what we do so others might know this God and be saved. We do ministry because we believe that Jesus is the best possible solution. We trust God’s arms are the place we want to find ourselves when we are in crisis. He is what we are leading students towards for a better chance. He is our Rescue.

Way to go Joe!

A bit about my current life... I have been insanely busy-which normally I enjoy. A week with one evening of no plans is a good week for me. So it's not the business that is eating away at the few nerves I have left. It's the pressure. Whether it's deadlines I can barely meet or the fact that my job getting done means everyone else still HAS a job-I have pressure. And there's no more give in my brain for more pressure! One more thing and I will explode, I promise. So, I taught this morning on Joseph and his character. Random segue, I think not. Joe had a lot he could have complained about. He was sold into slavery unjustly, he was thrown in prsion for standing up and staying pure, he was forgotten for 2 years when he asked someone to do him a favor. I'd say tough luck for Joe. But in his story we don't see any complaints. We don't see anger or bitterness or jealousy. We see Joe depending on God's perfect plan. As Christians we all know Romans 8:28 and I have always kinda liked it but figured it was Christianese fluff really. Do I truly believe in it? If I did, I would see my life a lot differently. If God truly does work all things for good to those who love Him, my circumstance right now is God working isn't it? It's not an unjust pressure or bad time management or any of these things I would like to complain about. It's God doing a work in me. We can't be pure until we're refined. So I guess I need to remember Joe this week and know that God's perfect plan is in place and He's just shining me up for His glory.