the good things

Yesterday I wrote about the hard things about ministry.  Here are some of the good things about being a pastor.

You get a chance to love people.  To forgive them.  To welcome them.  To help them along the way.  You get to baptise children.  For that matter, any baptism is great.  It is a joyful reminder of God's promise with us.  Whether sprinkled, poured or dunked, baptisms are great.

You get to serve communion.  To offer someone the body and blood of Christ is an awesome thing.

You get to help people in their time of need.  I have seen marriages come back from the brink.  Families survive tragic illness.  Young people transition times of fear.  Hope restored.  Faith secured.

You get to hold the hands of people in their most painful moments and remind them of God's love and presence.  You get to try to teach people about spirituality.  You get to share your own journey of change and perspective.  You get to be a part of the great high church days- Ash Wednesday, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas.

You get to tell the story of grace.  Of God's amazing love. 

You get to forgive people who misbehave.  You get to model forgiveness.  You get to release people from their worries and fears.  You get to preach.  What a great opportunity to try to help folks take the next step along the way.

You get to preside over weddings, which are usually wonderful.  You get to preside over funerals.  It is a joy when you get to celebrate a life well lived.

You get to hug people and smile with them and love them.  It is a wonderful calling, a wonderful job, a wonderful life.  I am the most fortunate pastor that I know.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.