Last night, expecting a quiet night after the Marriage Ministry at the Vineyard in Wheeling, I got a phone call that a patient had died and they wanted the chaplain. The trip from Wheeling was seventy miles and I would not get there till 10:30 PM. I was met by family and friends from the wife's church who had come out in the rain like myself to be with the family. They offered comfort and a quiet presence in a difficult time. So, while I was compensated for my time and miles, they were not. The question is: "How far will I go for God?"
The answer is not as far as he went for me! He first sent his Holy Spirit to call me to salvation. He sent his Son to die so I can live. He again sent his Holy Spirit to comfort me, teach me, and correct me. He has gone to such great lengths to have a relationship with me the distance I am asked to go can never really balance the scale.
Vicki once asked me if I was ever going to retire and I said no. I may change ministries, but I cannot find a mandatory retirement age in the Bible. I am not speaking of retirement as a pastor but speaking of retirement as a Christian. Jesus said we must work while it is still day. At first, the picture does not come clear until you realize Jesus is the Light of the World. As long as his presence is here in the church and in the lives of believers, it is always daytime.
If it comes to distance for serving God, I think the sky is the limit. I serve as a Christian husband and father, a chaplain in hospice, and a servant with the marriage ministry at the Vineyard. I don't know where he will lead me next, but no matter where he sends me, he will provide all I need to go the distance if I just trust in the Father.
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