June 09, 2020
Bible Reading – Exodus 18
Exodus 18:17-18 KJV
[17] And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. [18] Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.
When Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came to see Moses in the wilderness, they rejoiced over the greatness and goodness of the One true God! It did not take long, however, for Jethro to notice something alarming. He recognized that the amount of emotional and spiritual stress that Moses was under was unsustainable. Witnessing the miracles of God would provide rebound, but the constant needs and murmurings of the people would only grow in their current course. The constant needs of the people would wear Moses out physically and wear him down emotionally and spiritually. While God had definitively chosen Moses as His selection to lead the people of Israel, Moses, being a man, could not handle the entire load alone. He needed qualified individuals who could share his burden, ensuring the strength of the people as well as the health of their divinely appointed leader.
As sure as I am that God selected Moses, I am equally confident that God appointed Brother Daniel as the Pastor of Kerwin Baptist Church. Churches are not guaranteed great leaders, but God has overwhelmingly blessed us for several decades with the leadership of Joe Myers and now Daniel Hawtree. We know there is a tremendous weight and burden on our Pastor, and we should endeavor to strengthen and uplift our preacher as well as help to bear his burdens for the church and for his longevity. Something we can all do is pray for our pastor every day. As there is constant spiritual attack, there should be persistent intercession. It would be a wonderful thing if every hour or every day someone was praying for our pastor!
While there is only one Pastor God has chosen to lead our church, we should be actively thinking of ways to be an encouragement and support. Perhaps we could bombard him with encouraging notes, texts, or voicemails. At some point today, let him and his family know you love them. We can also encourage him greatly by listening as he preaches and applying those biblical principles in our lives. When we notice a need, whether it be a piece of trash on the floor or a visitor in need of assistance and a kind smile, we can step up and serve! Each of us is gifted by God in various ways to strengthen the body of Christ!
Of course there are things God meant for the Pastor to handle, but For every time we go to preacher with a problem, let us go ten times with encouragement and gratitude. Our preacher is the greatest servant and the most loving person in our church, but he also needs encouragement, love, and support! Let’s be the church that cares for our divinely appointed pastor, and let’s do our best to ensure that he is our pastor for as long as God allows!
– Eli Faulds