living the life of a pastor, i sometimes wonder if i work the church or the church works me… it’s probably neither but i pause to wonder sometimes.  it seems the church works me when i follow the rhythm of preaching, visiting, counseling, teaching, administrating…all based on the needs of the week.  when i live in response to the church needs, it feels that the church works me.  But other times it seems like i work the church.  i plan, pray, direct, hope and dream…somehow pulling the church to a preferred reality today. then it seems i work her.  But more than not, neither is true.  i live a life of push and pull, response and call, directing and giving in.  that’s the real truth.  that’s what we all do in our ordinary living of our days.

so i ask my God and my Savior and the Spirit to work in and through me…in the places i know about and in the places i don’t even see.  i ask for grace.  ultimate grace.  the kind in which i work together with God, (imagine that!), through God, and in God’s world.

may it be so…as i work a church life.