Pastor Appreciation Blessings

Ever wonder what it would be like to go to your own funeral? Wouldn’t you like to hear how people remembered you, what they thought of you, what kind of impact you made in their lives?

Hopefully people would actually show up and have some nice things to say!

This past Sunday I didn’t attend my own funeral (thankfully), but people did show up and say some nice things in appreciation of their pastor. In fact, it was rather a blessing to my family and me to hear several speak and to read many notes of kindness and encouragement from the congregation. The accolades were actually somewhat embarrassing, and the generosity was quite overwhelming. 

To borrow a line from an old Toby Mac song, “Love was in the house and the house was packed.” 

Can I just say that God is good? Sometimes He blows me away with His goodness. And the times when I’m not being blown away I’m not really paying attention. Have you ever heard this line somewhere before, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever”? Which days does that leave out? 

Now, I’m not real sure that I deserve any of the compliments handed out Sunday. If there’s any good thing in me at all, if I’ve helped anyone out along the way, if I’ve pointed anyone to the Lord, if I’ve made a difference in this world at all, the credit all goes to Jesus. 

Steve Baughman, the king of awesome Christian T-shirts, was wearing one on Sunday that would have fit me perfectly (metaphorically speaking). It said on the front: “I’m not the man I ought to be”, and to that I say Amen. I know what the Bible says about being a godly man, and I can assure you that you will not find my bald headed photo in the dictionary under the entry “looks like Jesus.” And it’s not just because I don’t have beautifully flowing long brown hair and a nice no-shave November beard, both of which of course Jesus had because that’s how He looks in all the artwork painted by European painters in the Renaissance. Such an Anglo-looking man for a first-century Jew, too. Curious. 

But the back of Steve’s shirt highlights my spiritual journey well: “Thank God I’m not the man I used to be.” Apart from the transforming work of Christ in my life, apart from His daily goodness and mercy, apart from the unceasing faithfulness of the Lord, I don’t know where I’d be, but it sure wouldn’t be in the pulpit on Sunday. 

It’s only because of Jesus that I know I’m forgiven and freed of sin’s penalty and power. It’s only because of Jesus that I know I’m clothed with the righteousness and holiness of Christ. It’s only because of Jesus that I know I’ve been given new life and have an inheritance kept in heaven for me that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading. 

I’m not all that I ought to be, but thank God I’m no longer dead in sin. I have been made alive with Christ by His grace because of the richness and greatness of God’s love, demonstrated to the full through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus on the cross and His triumphant resurrection victory over the grave. Amen! 

I wish everyone had a chance to endure, I mean, experience such a blessing of hearing others tell you how much you mean to them. Why not tell someone you love today how much you appreciate them – before the funeral?