Pastor's Perspective - On His Way

Recently in Scripture I have been reminded of how the Holy Spirit works most frequently through us in the service of others – while we’re moving!

Yesterday while teaching Pie Club, I read where Jesus raised Jairus the synagogue leader’s daughter from the dead. The Bible tells us in Luke 8:42 that ‘as Jesus was on his way’ He was approached by a woman who had been tormented by a bleeding condition for a dozen years. Her faith reached out and touched His loving power and she was instantaneously healed! For many years I have taught and preached that passage, but what the Lord reminded me of is, Jesus helped change a precious life while He was in motion. The same can be said of the healing of Bartimaeus (Mark 10), His unforgettable encounter with Zacchaeus (Luke 19), and so many others.

Almost overlooked is that fact that the illustrious adventures of the Apostle Paul meticulously recorded in Acts happened as the man of God was moving. As he put motion in his faith, the proverbial wind of the Spirit moved him along, creating many glowing ministry opportunities outside of his anticipated missionary itinerary.

In my years as a pastor, many of the beautiful intersections I experience come as complete surprises to me – but not to God! For instance, while visiting a person in the hospital, the Holy Spirit will open my eyes to another need I’ll discern as divine – moments I affectionately call ‘Holy Ghost ambushes’!

Certainly there were well-documented occurrences in the Word of God where people were beckoned to obedience through dreams, angelic visitations, visions and so on; in other words, no previous human motion required. However, most of the time, the prolific saints of antiquity were busy moving and serving when the hand of God nudged them intentionally into a new and exciting direction.

Do you want to be used by the Lord for His glory? Do you genuinely want to help countless others?

My best advice is to push off from the safety and stability of the dock and start sailing! Don’t be surprised if a sovereign wind changes your course heading and creates an adventure far greater than you could ever anticipate.

Jesus changed a life while he was on his way.

Jesus wants to change a life through you!