Today’s Reading:
I Corinthians 9:1-16
“Don't you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?” (I Corinthians 9:13)
Pastoral work is one of the most difficult calling/profession/vocation that l have ever seen. The assignment requires both physical and spiritual effort and commitment. A pastor must both be healthy in body and be spiritually sensitive, hence he might be a victim. The irony of the matter is that those whom the pastor is dying for might even be the source or cause of his fall. It is also a vocation where one person is paid but the whole family is being used. It is a pastor who collects salary, but the parishioners expect his family too to function well without adding to the salary. The expectations placed upon a pastor by both the church he serves and the community are so large, that some pastors cannot meet up hence some of them become objects of ridicule.
While l was preparing for this devotional and thinking of the topic to use, l felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit telling me the topic, "My Servants are Hungry". One could imagine that some of God's servants are hungry when they are serving God who owns the heavens and the earth. But one thing has been certain since the foundation of the church, God will never do anything on earth without using humans. Not because He cannot but because He will not because he is a God of order. I see so many ministers of the Gospel being underpaid, especially in most small churches. Pastors are going into debt seriously, especially during this period when the whole world is plagued with persistent increases in the prices of goods and services yet salaries are not increased even some pastors cannot take up another assignment to augment for their income.
In the passage above, Apostle Paul addressed this salient issue in his letter to the Corinthians. The Corinthians are not taking proper care of the ministers hence the need for the letter. Every farmer is expected to harvest and reap from it, but the opposite is the case for some pastors. They laboured among the sheep and lo and behold they do not eat out of the harvest. Some people are being blessed under a man of God and they forget to bless the man of God in return. God has raised some kingdom financiers but some of them become arrogant and turn themselves into small gods that must be worshipped before they can do anything. When last did you bless your pastor no matter how little? Some pastors are blessed once in a year especially during Christmas as if pastors eat once a year. Some pastors have become demanding because their needs are not met while some give fake prophecies or make the members make a promise before praying for them.
All these barbaric attitudes are not biblical and cannot be found in Christ. If you are a servant of God, pray to God and l am sure He will raise men even outside of your parishioners to bless you if those in your parish refuse to do it. As a pastor do not lose or make a mess of your calling because of what you will eat and as a member, always make it a duty to reach out to the servant of God where you regularly receive divine blessings. May God help us all, in Jesus' name.
JAMES ALADE
To surrender your life to Christ, say this prayer aloud: Father, thank you for Jesus Christ. Forgive my sins, take control of my heart and lead me in your righteous path by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Thank You, Lord. If you said the prayer, Congratulations! Prayerfully look for a living church and report to the resident reverend, pastor or priest.
Prayer:
May the Lord stir the hearts of kingdom financiers to do the needful in Jesus' name
Oh Lord, raise men for your church who are children of God indeed with riches
We ask for grace for pastors who are hungry not to misbehave in Jesus' name
Help me to do my part in expanding your kingdom in cash and kindness in Jesus' name.
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