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As
the thirsty grass waits for the dew early on a Sunday morning,
so do the thirsty and hungry souls of people all across the
world arise from what may have been a restless and sleepless
night, waiting to hear a word from their pastor. The weariness
of Monday, the frustrations of Tuesday, the demands of Wednesday,
the last minute meetings of Thursday, the casual Friday, and
the relaxation of Saturday have all passed, only to face holy
Sunday. At last, the solutions to a busy and circumstantial
week have finally arrived. Who has the answers? Surely my pastor
does. "For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge,
and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the
messenger of the Lord of hosts" (Malachi
2:7). Sure
he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts, but what if your pastor
has had a week similar to yours? A tiring
Monday, a frustrating Tuesday, a demanding Wednesday, and a
Thursday full of meetings. But instead of a casual Friday
and a relaxing Saturday, he has been studying and preparing
for holy Sunday to provide solutions and guidance for your circumstantial
week. He is holy, but he is also subject to the same trials
and temptations as a layperson. This statement of truth is not
to be an excuse or justification for you to expect anything
less of him than who God has called him to be–the overseer of
the flock. (1
Peter 5:2) Because of his high level of responsibilities
and service to God, it is extremely important, and a mandate
by God for righteous men and women under his leadership, to
fervently pray for him and the work of the ministry. (1
Timothy 2:1-3) In
order to ensure your pastor is hearing clearly from God, you
must pray for him. Although we need not wait until Sunday to
hear from God, there is still more to learn and hear as the
pastor stands in the pulpit or shares in homes and villages
all across the globe. The hour in which he stands and proclaims
the gospel of Jesus Christ is the most important and crucial
hour on earth and in heaven. The substance and clarity of your
pastor’s message hinges on the substance and fervency of your
prayers for him and his family. Understanding the necessity
of the prayers of the saints, the apostle Paul frequently requested
prayer for his ability to hear and speak God’s Word with power
and clarity. (Colossians 4:2) Each
day every one of us is surrounded by a swirling whirlwind of
voices. Voices from family, friends, co-workers, the radio, the television,
newspapers, and Internet sources–all stating points of view
and opinions. None of them are without significance.
(1 Corinthians 14:10) Which ones do we listen
to? Which voices does your pastor hear? Are you hoping that
it is the still, small voice of God? (1 Kings 19:12) Surely that would be your
prayer. You want your pastor to speak as of the oracles of God.
(1 Peter 4:11) Yet for this to happen, he
has to hear from God. That means spending quality time in the
presence of the Lord, praying, listening, and studying the Bible.
Provision
for your pastor to hear from God must be built into his daily
schedule. There are numerous accounts in the Bible where Jesus
would draw aside from the work of the ministry to fellowship
and get instructions from the Father. In John 12:49-50 Jesus says, "For I did
not speak on My own initiative, but
the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as
to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment
is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just
as the Father has told Me." Pray
that his message is clear and fruit bearing For
some pastors, hearing from God is not a problem. The difficulty
is preparing the message God has spoken in a manner that reaches
people of all walks of life and crosses racial and cultural
differences. The message must be proclaimed clearly and simply
enough for everyone to respond to the call of repentance and
union with the Father. There are times when messages are delivered
in word only; meaning, it makes no spiritual impact upon the
person who is listening. This
is why it is crucial that you pray the prayer Paul prayed for
the church of Thessalonica: "We give thanks to God always
for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly
bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness
of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God
and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of
you; for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also
in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just
as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your
sake. You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having
received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy
Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in
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