I have a special plea for you. I am reluctant to share it because I fear it may come across as self-serving, and that is not my goal. Actually, at this time my concern is not so much for me as for those men who have committed their lives to the service of the Lord and are feeling forgotten, neglected, weary, and disappointed. My request is simple: pray for your preacher.
He may never ask for your help, but he needs you just the same. He may act like he has it together, but he really doesn’t. Oh, he does pretty well with life, maybe better than most, but he has his struggles like everyone else. Even when he is struggling he does his best to carry his own load. So, he may never ask for your help, but he needs you to pray for him.
His goal in life is to please the Lord. Almost everything he does, publicly and privately, in one way or another relates to that calling. Where he lives. Who his friends are. What he reads. He is concerned about the opinions of other people, but he tries to not allow their opinion to determine his actions. Though it is sometime hard to remember, he knows the opinion of the Father is more important than all the others. He needs your prayers.
Because of the nature of his work he is almost seldom off duty. Even when he is “off the clock,” it is rare when his work in not on his mind. He is willing to do almost anything for anyone, and he tries to do it with a good attitude.
He may be the guy you call when your husband goes into the hospital for heart surgery. He may the guy you call when your get a call at 2:00 A. M. informing you that your son has been arrested. He may be the guy you call when you find out your husband is having an affair. He may be the guy you call when the doctors have told you there is nothing more they can do. He may be the guy you call when you decide that you want to get married. He is the guy who will do his best to help you, comfort you, and encourage you.
One thing he will never refuse, and one thing he will always need, is your prayers.
He is the guy who will try to be there with you in the waiting room. He is the guy who will cut his vacation short if he knows you really need him. And, somehow he will make it up to his family. He is the guy who wants what is best for you, even when the best is not what you want for yourself. He is the guy who will listen to you when everybody else is too busy, too expensive, or too far away.
He is your preacher. He has committed his life to helping you and offering you hope. He may be the guy that preaches on Sunday, or the guy who teaches your Bible Class, the guy who spends time with your child, or the guy who takes you to the doctor.
If you ask him what you can do for him he may tell you, “Oh, nothing. I’m doing just fine.” And, he may be. You see he is so accustomed to helping others that he may find it difficult to let you help him. But, one thing he will never refuse, and one thing he will always need, is your prayers.
I recently spent a couple of days with a bunch of preachers. We talked about our work. We shared our dreams. We laughed together and we shared a few tears. We fussed a little and we probably complained too much. But, in the end, we agreed that there is no better work we could do. Though at times it is frustrating and disappointing, we realize that our commission is from God and He has equipped us to do it His work.
I am not asking for special treatment, or sympathy, for any preacher you may know. All I am asking is that you pray for your him. And while you are praying, include his wife and children in your prayers.
Chances are this is not the kind of article that your preacher, if he is reading this, will forward to all the people in your congregation, so you may need to do it for him. But, more importantly, pray for him.
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