You Mean More To Me...

You mean more to me than...

Well before I complete that sentence, let me explain that I worked long hours over the weekend.... sitting in the Mid-Year Board Meetings for our Medical Society with some of the top physicians in Academic Medicine. They are brilliant men and women pouring their lives out for a noble cause. I admire the dedication of their lives... long hours every day... and I respect the stature of their lives and places that their gifts and dedication take them....but I have to tell you, that when it's all said and done, their service to mankind will be so small compared to what you are doing for the eternal kingdom of God.

It is not long into a ministry year that leaders begin to feel the weight of the commitment they have made. It's more than a one or two busy weeks. It's a lifestyle. You are sacrificing other things... perhaps you haven't been able to dust, or connect with someone or you just had to say no when your tween asked for cupcakes for class at 10 p.m. last night. All we can give is all we can give.... and sometimes that is where the enemy comes in.... minimizing the commitment and telling us we should quit....the cost is too high. We can do this in another season.

Well I'm here to tell you not to.... I'm here to remind you that serving in the Kingdom of God for such a time as this is the highest and best and greatest work that you can do...yes, even higher than those top academic physicians pouring out for the good of mankind... you see your work will last forever and it will NOT be taken away. Matthew 25:34-40 comes to mind, where Jesus through a parable said:

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Do you see how blind they were to the work they were doing? ... and how insignificant they thought that work was? Yes we see the big stuff, but I think God is telling us... we have no idea how inverted the economies are truly going to be.... nor can we fathom how blinded we are just by being a part of the world... we can't see the big picture to understand the value of our service. But, it won't be long before the economies are going to change.... UpSideDown! And, your love on behalf of your ladies will surely be remembered by Our Lord.

So, getting back to my first comment... you mean more to me... you mean more to me than all that the world can offer. True that...because of Jesus. As the God of All creation, through whom the whole world was made hung on the cross... I suspect he looked through eternity at you and me.... he remembered the temptations he had faced in the desert and from political leaders of the time; and the myriad of taunts and jolts that he faced every day... and he chose obedience to the point of death, even death on the cross.

In doing so.... he escorted in a new kingdom that will not perish or fade... and He said to you and me with word and actions... I love you. You mean more to me than anything in this world.... So today, I want to encourage us to Cling to Him and embrace the work he has given us in His kingdom and the faithfulness he calls us to. Because it will be richly rewarded...