Answering The Call

Each, and every week, I receive a phone call from our Pastor. Without fail, she includes our home on a long list of almost sixty people, just to keep that spiritual contact intact. She never misses a single person, and many are people who never attended a church service. Every conversation is tailored to each person, and always ends with lifting a prayer for the needs of each household. This commitment is nothing new for her, yet this past year it has become even more relevant. She does this along with holding down a full time job. It takes a special kind of person to do this week after week. God calls on  people like this to be our mentors, our leaders, our advocates, our shoulders to cry on. Yes, they are our Pastors.

As we just finished Resurrection weekend, I cannot help but to draw some parallels to what I believe Jesus would do. In His short life, I’m sure He never overlooked an opportunity to speak to every person He met along His way. I can only imagine the conversations He would have with people of all backgrounds and situations. Whether Jew or gentile, man or woman, rich or poor, and healthy or afflicted, He called on everyone. Just think of the conversation He would have with you today, if your phone rang, and it was Him on the other end. He would ask how you were doing, and already know the answer. He would just want you to answer the call and chat. He wants to hear our voices as much as we want to hear His. Each conversation would be special for your ears, and every prayer would be for you and you alone. He would always lift you to the Father and remember you to Him every day. He asks only that you remember Him to those you meet. Wouldn’t that make you feel special and loved? Well this is how we should feel when our Pastor’s call us. After all, they were appointed and anointed by Him.

In these times as we enter the second year of restrictions, lock downs, and hope in a vaccine, we should all remember that God is still in the business of looking after us. The proof is seen every Sunday on social media as church bodies live stream and record their services to the world. God is allowing us to use today’s technology to reach out and share His message through those He has assigned to care for us. I see friends from coast to coast in service, and I know they keep contact with their congregations. So, some of us cannot meet in person yet but God’s phone call to us still comes in many forms.

We are into the first few weeks of Spring, and as our weather improves, and the grass green’s up, we should be looking forward to what God has in store for us. Our freedom to worship Him has not been taken away, only some of its forms. Keep the faith, rather keep your faith that we are all in the palm of God’s hands. Let each day be a Sunday and worship Him in some form all the time. If you think you are too busy when a phone rings, remember it could be your chance to say thank you to someone who is thinking about you. It could even be your chance to be His feet on the ground for someone else. Your Pastor will call you this week, so do yourself a huge favor, and answer the call. It may just be the one you’re expecting.

Mike Shindruk

Master’s Hand Ministry