A Prayer For Pastors

I have great admiration and respect for you, pastor. You are committed to God's will and His call on your life. You put up with a lot. Yet you continue to seek God's guidance and strength as you serve.

I have begun a book review of Shannon O'Dell's book, Transforming Church in Rural America (published by New Leaf Press). The forward, written by Mark Beeson, includes a prayer which Mark prays for Shannon (page 11). When I read it, I thought of you, pastors. Here is how I tweaked it:

"Oh Father God, I pray for pastors, for their families, for their marriages, for their ministries, and for their congregations. I pray for their witness and I pray for their minds, that they will think new thoughts and dream new dreams. I pray for their bodies that they will be healthy and strong, that they can run long the race that you have set before them.

I pray for their friends, that they will be true to their pastor and true to You; that they will always lift their pastors up, always encourage them, always help them on the journey. I pray for resources to flow into their ministries because it is Your work and what You have purposed to be done. I believe that you will resource what You have commanded to be done. And so I pray that people with money will give money, that people with time will give time, that people with faith will exercise their faith, that people with big ideas and big dreams and big visions will give those ideas and dreams and visions to the cause."

You are loved, pastor. You are appreciated. May God be everything you need as you read this post.

Comments

[herbhalstead]

Thanks, Scott. I love the calling. Sometimes, admittedly, it seems we are pouring more than we have to pour - amazing at how God just keeps giving us more to pour-out. But, it is so worth it when we see the change in peoples' live when God moves through our service - spiritual transformation is intoxicating - so it's really not that hard to keep pressing - especially when we know that there are folks who are "moved" for pastors.

[Scott Couchenour]

Herb - You (and others like you) are my heroes. You get it. You follow the call diligently. You are an inspiration. That's why I love so much to connect with you. I want to help you remove any sniff of burnout so you can "burn up" for Him.

God bless you this week!

[jasonS]

Amen. I appreciate this so much. Thank you Scott.

[Scott Couchenour]

Jason - my pleasure.