Is It Worth Your Life?

Luke 9:23-26
By Harold Dinsmore, M.Div.
© 2008 Harold Dinsmore

One of the greatest joys of being a pastor is to see men’s and women’s lives changed by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  As your pastor I have felt privileged to be included in your respected family.  The joys, the marriages, the babies brought home and dedicated to the Lord in our services, the salvation of family members, their baptisms, promotions, a new house, and also the hospital stays of some and those who have lost loved ones.  Being a pastor is what God has called me to be.

               Love for my flock tempers me.  It affects me and my family.  You don’t leave it all at the office.  There has been calls in the middle of the night.  There has bee some weeks where I have had to be gone every night.  There’s been the 13 years of college and seminary.  Deep in debt from school we don’t have a lot of things, but we are not sad, in fact, we are thrilled to have been called by God into the ministry.  If Jesus had no place to call his own and to lay his head at night, I feel pretty fortunate to have a place to call home.  But I have to be honest with you, I have asked the question “is it worth my life?”