Between Mission and Mourning

Earlier this week in the midst of celebration of Advent and preparing for the Christmas day activities, I received an email from our home church that one of our very good friends went into the hospital to have surgery. Because of some other medical conditions the surgery was a risk.. A couple of days and another email revealed that this person was not doing well. Sadly, this person passed away. Although as Christians we know that this person is far better off now, we are still saddened by the passing of our dear friend.
  As I was reflecting on my friend I began thinking about the effect this must have been having on my former Sr. pastor. He was in the midst of replacing a staff person, preparing for messages, and all the others aspects of pastoral ministry. Yet, in an instant all that put to the side- to be at the side of a good friend who was dying as well as a being with this family losing of their father.
   In ministry there are so many roles for the pastor. These roles include but not limited to: being a visionary to the congregation, being a comforter to the hurting, managing the administrative duties, challenging the staff, and even changing the daily agenda to go and be Jesus for a family who lost a loved one. At any point these various points can create a tension within the pastor to "be all things to all people." I have often wondered how my former Sr. pastor survives the tension. Looking back over the course of my time serving with him one thing that stands out to me are those times of prayer!
  While prayer may seem to elementary or simplistic, it is the core of our connecting with God who gave us the abilities we have to be "all things to all people." My former pastor is a great example of a pastor who carries the challenges of pastoral ministry to the throne room of God and seeks the face of God for renewing and refocusing!
There between the mission of the church and mourning the loss of a friend or family member; prayer stands as the power of God poured out on us to face another day and fight another week.
Martin Luther once said “I have so much to do that I should spend the first three hours in prayer.” Prayer, the act by which we set our hearts and minds on the things of God, should not be the last act of a desperate soul. Rather, it should be the first response of someone who understands that strength is found in weakness (2 Cor 12:9–10).
  Pastors and friends as we encounter the challenges of ministry may we have the power of God to realize when to set aside our agenda for the agenda God has. May God also grant us strength to be Jesus to the mourning among us! Most of all, may we find that place between the mission and mourning called prayer!