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Friday, August 19, 2005

"Not In Vain"

"Your labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58).

One of my long-term favorite ministries has been Joni, who has a crippling disability, but has such an incredibly positive outlook on life impacting scores of people with the Gospel. The other day Brooksyne was listening to her radio program as she told of a couple who have a "coma ministry." 

This dedicated couple travels to hospitals and rehabs where patients, due to head injuries or strokes, are in comas.  They sing with the accompaniment of a guitar, make physical contact with the patients, and over the period of 30 minutes worship God through song, Scripture and prayer.  Some of the coma victims actually show slight responses to their compassionate ministry, in most other cases their impact is merely a matter of faith and obedience to God.

I frankly marvel at this kind of ministry. I want to see results now when I serve the Lord. I want to see souls saved, people encouraged, lives impacted. 

Today many of you are involved in some type of ministry. Some of you are really seeing results. That's great! But some of you seem to be butting your head up against a stump (as a college history professor would often express).  Nothing seems to be happening and you're hitting serious opposition. You may be discouraged.

Today's Scripture portion is a timeless truth for servants of God. "Your labor in the Lord is not in vain."  This dear couple with a ministry call to stroke patients are not wasting their time as they seek to obey the Lord. When the final accounting comes it's likely that we'll learn that they used their time better than so many of us.

Above all let us stay faithful to our call and leave the results to God, knowing indeed that our "labor in the Lord is not in vain."


Be encouraged today,


Stephen C. Weber

Prayer from Brooksyne: "Jesus, I am so deeply touched by this dedicated couple who minister to coma patients who are unable to communicate or make physical contact with those around them.  What a tremendous blessing to know that You've given this couple the ministry of reaching seemingly unreachable individuals.  When we look at the outward appearance we see only an unresponsive and often shriveled up shell.  But, God, we are reassured by Scripture that You look beyond the outward person to see the inward heart.  We pray for family members of coma patients reading our devotional today – that You would fill them with renewed hope.  We are confident that Your spiritual touch surpasses any procedure or treatment that doctors or nurses can administer.  Even in the midst of doing physical battle with our bodies our spirits can soar to places where the body cannot while abiding here on earth – in the very presence of Jesus.  Would you minister Your healing to the broken-hearted as You bind up their spiritual and physical wounds.  In the precious name of Jesus, Amen."

Additional resource: When I pastored in New England I served for two years as a presbyter (overseer) of about 25 ministers and enjoyed writing articles to encourage them. Here is a longer message concerning today's topic that may be especially encouraging to my fellow laborers. "Not In Vain"

An Invitation: Tonight at 7 PM our Amish neighbors are having a hymn sing in their barn and have asked for Brooksyne and me to help lead. This morning our daughter Ester is helping Anna Ruth, the hostess, with her children so she'll have time to prepare for the gathering tonight.  She's preparing refreshments during the fellowship to follow.  Of course most of you reading this are at a distance, but if you're in our area we sure welcome you to join us!  We've heard from several readers in the last couple of days and are excited to meet you personally.  Others who might want to attend just need to contact me for further information and directions. 

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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.

Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."

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