Day Seven: That we would joyously be lead

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. (Hebrews 13:17 ESV)

John Brown, the 18th century Scottish author and pastor, once encouraged a newly ordained young man with these words:

“I know the vanity of your heart, and that you will feel mortified that your congregation is very small, in comparison with those of your brethren around you; but assure yourself on the word of an old man, that when you come to give an account of them to the Lord Christ, at His judgment-seat, you will think you have had enough.”

Brown is correct. Pastors will give an account to God for their flock. This means that pastors bear a weight that those without that charge cannot fully feel*. In light of this truth, the author to Hebrews encourages his readers to obey and submit to their leaders in such a way that helps them fulfill their calling joyously. There is much which could be said here about abuse of power and the like. Yet, let us not lose the beauty of this text because it has been abused. Our ability to submit, honor, and obey those in leadership is a reflection of our ability to submit, honor, and obey the Lord. It is to our advantage to pursue the joy of those leading us.

Lord, we thank you for good biblical leaders. We thank you for those who care for us and watch over us and fight for our joy in Christ. We pray today that you would help them to have joy in you. Give us the desire to be intentional about helping our leaders be satisfied in you. Help us to be a joy to lead. May we honor you in the way we honor our leaders. Amen.

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*Of course there is a weight those who are not pastors will bear that we pastors do not carry.

Day Six: That we would receive God’s word humbly

All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. (Isaiah 66:2 ESV)

Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21 ESV)

There is a way in which a church can receive the Word which is counter-productive. It is one thing to receive the Word as a humble Berean, searching the Scriptures to see if what is being said is so. It is quite another to be an arrogant soul hiding behind the illusion of being a Berean, but in reality we are no better than a Monday-morning quarterback. In these moments we are doing what Soren Kierkegaard called “defending oneself against God’s Word”. We must hear God’s Word with a humble posture; a trembling posture which comes to grips with our own sinfulness and finitude. But also the posture of a meek lamb—desperately dependent upon the Lord to feed us. Pray today that our church would not only be passionate about mastering God’s Word but that we would be equally passionate about being Mastered by God’s Word.

Father, break us where we need broken and heal us where we need healed. We want to receive your word with humility. Every good and perfect gift comes from you and so we are dependent upon you for the blessing of truly receiving your Word. Lord, rescue us from our foolish defense of ourselves. Help us to see that because of Jesus we do not have to hide from the work of your Word. Your Word incarnate is our lone defense. May we rest in him and humbly receive the Word you’ve placed in our heart. Amen.

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For a wonderful treatment of James 1:21 you are encouraged to read the first couple chapters of Soren Kierkegaard’s work, For Self-Examination.

Day Five: That we would love one another deeply from the heart

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, (1 Peter 1:22 ESV)

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8 ESV)

When we read something like “love one another deeply from the heart” our minds might be a bit too informed by Hollywood. But Hollywood doesn’t give us our best image of this “earnest love”. The word Paul uses here is the same word used of Jesus when he is praying earnestly and sweating drops of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is with this type of passion and intentionality that we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. This deep love is not original with us. It is, as we read in 1:22, one which comes to us by having purified our souls. The gospel is what gives us a new heart. It is from this new heart that we are able to love each other with a love modeled for us in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Father, we thank you for your deep love for us. We thank you that you have given us new hearts which are able to love with your cruciform love. We also confess that at times our love is shallow. We are asking that you would strengthen our love for one another. Help us to love one another deeply from our Christ-purchased hearts. Give us the passion and intentionality for one another that was modeled for us in the Garden of Gethsemane.