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In 1839, pastor Robert Murray M’Cheyne took some extended time away from his church in Dundee, Scotland. In April of that year, he went on a mission trip to Israel, and before he left, he wrote these words to his congregation at “St. Peter’s Church…”
“I sometimes think, that a great blessing may come to my people in my absence. Often God does not bless us when we are in the midst of our labours, lest we shall say, “My hand and my eloquence have done it.” He removes us into silence, and then pours “down a blessing so that there is not room to receive it;” so that all that see it cry out, “It is the Lord!”
M’Cheyne was away for 8 months, and during that time, a revival did indeed take place at St. Peter’s Church. As the people met for worship and prayer, under interim leadership, many come to know Jesus Christ as Savior during those days.
I’m already praying that kind of prayer for you. I’m praying that it will be evident at Medina Naz, maybe even more when I’m away for a bit, that God is moving and working! I’m praying that during this season, lives will be turned over to Jesus, sins will be confessed and forgiven, people will be freed from addictions, relationships will be healed, and so much more! I’m praying that your hunger and desire for God and His presence will deepen and intensify. I’m praying that you’ll be used by God to love people to life!
So don’t think for a minute that this is a time to put on the brakes in your spiritual life, that you can step away from church life ‘because the Pastor’s not there.’ Heaven’s no! This is the time to intensify your passion for God and His Church, not let it wane! Our mission, to love people life, is not dependent on whether I’m on the platform on any given Sunday. I’m not that important!
I hope that you’ll consider taking extra time during these weeks for prayer and reflection. Seek God’s presence. Be still and know that He is God. And allow Him to breathe new life into all of us, so that He will accomplish “infinitely more than we could ever ask or imagine” in our church and community!
Certainly your church will need you, practically speaking. There will be extra ways to serve as you all pitch in to take up some of the ministry responsibilities I would normally handle. But even more than filling ministry ‘slots’ in order to ‘get the work done,’ I hope you’ll see maybe even more clearly how we all should be working together, all the time, as Christ’s Body, meeting needs in His name.
So thank you, in advance, for keeping the passion alive. Thank you for serving in extra ways. Thank you for being open to what the Holy Spirit might want to do in you through this season. And thank you for your faithfulness to God and His Church!
We Live to Love People to Life!