Greetings Church Family,
While grading a mass of papers this morning, I reflected on the amount of time invested in preparing high school students and seminary extension students. Particularly wrestling with very competent graduate students at times pushing back against well tested theological truths. In my reflection the question of why surfaced. Why the investment?
I was truly encouraged by the reasons my heart and mind answered with. First, it’s part of the glorious calling the Lord has stewarded me with. When Paul writes that God has chosen the weak things of this world to shame the wise, I truly feel the weight of being that weak vessel. Weak things depend on strong things for survival and so I am! So on Christ the solid rock alone I stand! Also, the miraculous observation of God’s power working through the weak vessel is a source inspiring joy and grateful worship.
Second, we labor because the truth of God according to His revelation demands our investment. Truth by necessity demands our attention. For all existence itself was formed and sustained by truth. Truth will not be silent! All false claims in any and every discipline of life will collapse under the weight of its own contradiction.
Finally, we invest because we love. Certainly loving God but also loving each other. I truly love the students. I trust that their questions and at times even their push back is genuine and so we labor to give them a faithful answer. Sometimes we have to dig and research before we respond. however, they are worth the effort. Here I marvel again that in my selfish flesh (wherein dwells no good thing). I am moved and motivated as Paul would say to the Thessalonians, in a “labor of love’, 9 invest. God promises our investment in Him, His work and His people is not in vain
Pastor Ed
