No Ease until Eternity
It may sound strange but I've often said that the job of a pastor is not finished until his sheep all die, or he does; whichever comes first. He must labor for the souls, and spiritual safety and well-being of his flock until each sheep crosses the finish line and enters into heaven. Until then there can be no ease, no rest, no taking a life break.
In my devotions this morning I came across Numbers 32:18. The context is that the Israelites are about to take over the promised land, the inheritance promised by God. As that is kicking off, two tribes (Reuben and Gad) ask if they can settle just east of there. Moses isn't happy because it appears that they want to settle down and take their ease before the rest of their fellow Israelites enter the promised rest and ease of the land.
In response Reuben and Gad make this promise in Numbers 32:18--"We will not return to our homes until each of the people of Israel has gained his inheritance."
This is the way every Christian (not just every pastor) should view life. Life here and now is not about settling down into ease, rest, or retirement; it's about making sure that all the fellow Christians God has connected us to (beginning of course in our families and then in our local church) make it to heaven, their inheritance.
While we are certainly to take periodic Sabbath rests for spiritual and physical replenishment, there is to be no real ease until heaven. So long as I have brothers and sisters who are in the wilderness of this life, and struggling to make it in faith; so long as I have members of my body (the local church) who need encouragement and admonition and help and love and counsel and hope; so long as I have fellow spiritual travelers who have not yet entered their eternal rest, I cannot rest or settle or take my ease.
Rest will come in heaven. Eternity is the Christian's retirement plan. Until then I must labor and lay down my life in behalf of the people of God. And so must every single Christian. This is not for pastors only. It's for every parent, every care group leader, every care group member, every single member of every single church. Each of us is his or her brother's and sister's keeper.
So long as we have one brother or sister who needs encouragement to keep on keeping on against all the foes of body and spirit, we must fight and labor on in their behalf. Let none of us return to his home for rest until everyone of us has gained his inheritance.
Let there be ease only in eternity.
In my devotions this morning I came across Numbers 32:18. The context is that the Israelites are about to take over the promised land, the inheritance promised by God. As that is kicking off, two tribes (Reuben and Gad) ask if they can settle just east of there. Moses isn't happy because it appears that they want to settle down and take their ease before the rest of their fellow Israelites enter the promised rest and ease of the land.
In response Reuben and Gad make this promise in Numbers 32:18--"We will not return to our homes until each of the people of Israel has gained his inheritance."
This is the way every Christian (not just every pastor) should view life. Life here and now is not about settling down into ease, rest, or retirement; it's about making sure that all the fellow Christians God has connected us to (beginning of course in our families and then in our local church) make it to heaven, their inheritance.
While we are certainly to take periodic Sabbath rests for spiritual and physical replenishment, there is to be no real ease until heaven. So long as I have brothers and sisters who are in the wilderness of this life, and struggling to make it in faith; so long as I have members of my body (the local church) who need encouragement and admonition and help and love and counsel and hope; so long as I have fellow spiritual travelers who have not yet entered their eternal rest, I cannot rest or settle or take my ease.
Rest will come in heaven. Eternity is the Christian's retirement plan. Until then I must labor and lay down my life in behalf of the people of God. And so must every single Christian. This is not for pastors only. It's for every parent, every care group leader, every care group member, every single member of every single church. Each of us is his or her brother's and sister's keeper.
So long as we have one brother or sister who needs encouragement to keep on keeping on against all the foes of body and spirit, we must fight and labor on in their behalf. Let none of us return to his home for rest until everyone of us has gained his inheritance.
Let there be ease only in eternity.
Labels: Church, Love, Servanthood
posted by Tim Shorey at
7:11 AM
8 Comments:
Good application of that text in Numbers. And I know you mean every word of it. It is clear why God called you into ministry Tim. You were made to be a shepherd.
The culture tells us to fix our eyes, and pin our hopes on retirement. It's tragic to see many older Christian folk buy into the lie that somehow, they have "deserve" this rest. It's a premature rest, as you say.
If THIS world was all there is, then it would make sense to work hard for 40 years, and relax for the last 20 years of your life. But there is more than this life.
It would be anti-climactic, to put it mildly, to take my last 20 years to rest, and then step into the presence of the Lord.
I know I may be chastised for using this word... but shouldn't we EARN the privilege of his smile, and of his "Well Done!" Not speaking of justification here, but of his approval for our service and labor.
Great reminder Tim, thanks!
The whole concept of works and reward--having, as you say, nothing whatsoever to do with justification but everything to do with sanctification--is one that gets short shrift among Christians.
If we live to do well spiritually and in service rather than to do well financially and in ease, we will receive a well done.
John Piper has duly warned us that one of the very last things we should want is to enter God's presence having spent the last years of our life in ease and in the pursuit of self in retirement.
Can you imagine the regret to be felt by any who've taken their ease on earth in their later years?!
What a waste!
God gives our latter years as spiritual harvest time; time for sowing and reaping for eternity.
Let's make sure we die in the field sowing and reaping.
Thanks Tim for reinforcing the concept. MB & I have determined to spend the best years of our lives serving God in whatever capacity He calls us to. The ultimate rest is in glory. I'm looking forward to a new heavens and a new earth where in dwells righteousness. By the way, you got me with the phrase "short shrift", I had to look it up. Shrift is to confess to a priest. At first I was truely puzzled by the word. Then dictionary.com solved the puzzle. Short shrift is not to spend adaquate time discussing a matter. Thanks for the stimulating reminder.
JR
Tim, thanks!
While I have not had my eyes on retirement as the world does, I still find myself not making the most of the time to care for "brothers and sisters who are in the wilderness of this life, and struggling to make it in faith".
God reminded me not to grow weary in doing good. He also reminded me that it is selfish to do so.
Thanks again!
PS: To John, thanks for the dictionary exercise, I too was thrown off by that word.
Retirement as "A spiritual harvest time." Yes, that's it... I like that.
Harvesting takes time, something retired folks have plenty of. It also assumes that you've been faithful sowing during the busy part of life, raising a family, etc.
I'm fully convinced that the very best time of ministry will be at the claimax of life--when all that's gone before ripens into maturity and we actually have the best we'll ever have to offer to others for the glory of God.
I'm 51, and still in training. And happy for it.
How thankful I am for a group of "finishers" in our church who have emphatically not bought in to the cultural idea of retirement. Pat and I love getting together with them, since they need so little encouragement in this regard. They encourage us! The church is blessed by these wonderful servants. tdb
Wow!! I so needed to read this blog this morning, especially since I am not in church. I know that while my reason for being home is not a bad thing, I am keenly aware...(more so after reading this blog) that I do not often, if ever consider the bigger picture THE BODY and how I may be a part of someone else's lifting up.
This sheep thanks you for taking no ease, or rest, or break from leading your flock; for your determinded passion to lead us safely home!!
sdpaul
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