Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in acting toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:2-6 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/col.4.2-6.NIV
When Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt, he became overwhelmed with the complaints and concerns of all the people, and at one point, he lost his temper and aggressively struck the rock the Lord told him to strike for water. Finally, his father-in-law, Jethro, led by the Holy Spirit, told Moses to assign Elders and Judges. He advised Moses because he saw Moses was burdened with too many responsibilities, and Moses listened to his father-in-law. Can you imagine the thousands of Israelites Moses had to deal with daily; I had three children, one boy, and TWO GIRLS!
When I became a Believer, I believed the Pastor and Elders had all the answers. I thought they were perfect and placed high expectations on them. Yes, the Bible says they must live and act in a way that glorifies God, but they are not God; they are humans who need rest and affirmation, and they have families that need them too. Paul encourages the Believers to pray for the Pastors and leaders in our congregation so they, too, will be encouraged to proclaim the Gospel as they should boldly and clearly. Maybe this Sunday, we should thank our Pastor for his excellent work in serving the Lord, the community of believers, and the community they live in, and tell them you are praying for them and their families.
Heavenly Father, Lord of Lords, and God of all creation. Thank You for my brothers and sisters in Christ, Your Son. Thank You, Lord, for being a God of order, not chaos, guilt, condemnation, and confusion. We know the enemy causes division, confusion, and chaos in the family unit and within the Body of Christ. Father, please appoint divine protection and direction over our Pastors and leaders as they serve You and the community. We know the enemy is out to try and destroy our faith in You by planting seeds of doubt, bitterness, and strife within the Church. Lord, give us discernment to the guiles of the evil one. May we stand boldly and protect our leaders from the arrows of satan and disarm him with the word of God. May we, the body of Christ, remain steadfast in You, encouraging one another in grace, love, and truth. In Jesus’ name, amen.