May
17
2014
Law and Ministry
Posted in Poetry 2 Comments
They call it graduation,
But it is plain to see,
It is simply the beginning,
Of the men you’re meant to be.
It is the culmination,
Of long years of good hard work.
Manly responsibility,
That you never once did shirk.
You weren’t always grown like this,
You once were very small.
You once fit well upon my knee.
Once tossed around a ball.
You played basketball and soccer,
Rode your bike and ran a race.
You made lots of fun home movies,
With precision not in haste.
You liked to read with me at night,
Books of action with good plots.
You played with cars, and trains, and trucks.
Things with wheels you liked a lot.
You shared a room for all those years.
Sport comforters on the bed.
Baseball hats and baseball cards.
Your favorite team wore red.
When did these little boys of mine,
Grow up to be fine men?
When did their high-pitched voices,
Turn to a deep man’s voice instead?
When did the little boys who stood,
Right there by my side,
Grow taller than their mother,
While the boy in them did hide?
When did you know God’s calling,
That was placed upon your life?
When did you willingly obey,
His direction for your life?
We need more Godly men like you,
To lead us down life’s road.
Men who will carry burdens,
Men who will lighten loads.
Men who find their voice in Him,
Never compromising Truth.
Men who stand upon God’s word,
Following Him since youth.
Men who will lead their families,
Sacrificially, it’s true.
Men who will put God first of all,
Like a man’s supposed to do.
Men who will live in purity,
Men who put others first.
Men who know that a life of ease,
Is simply just the worst.
Men who once were little boys,
Playfulness tucked away.
Keeping it in perspective,
Until another day.
Men who will act justly.
The most important thing to do.
Men who will love mercy,
Men whose actions will be true.
Men who know that to be great,
You must be least of all.
Men who walk humbly with their God.
Is the greatest man of all.
______________________________________________________________________
Our family is celebrating two graduations; two graduations in one weekend.
One from law school; the other from college.
Thankfully, the graduations are on different days.
Other than that, we would have to tag team and that would be terrible.
To say, I don’t know where the time has gone, is an understatement.
These fine young men were just babies…yesterday.
Brothers.
Friends.
Different, as they should be, yet at their core, the same.
They love the Lord and want to serve Him with their life.
One in law.
One in ministry.
Standing on God’s Word in law as he fights for truth.
Standing on God’s Word in ministry as he fights for souls.
I will restore your judges as in days of old, your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City. (Isaiah 1:28)
I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:1-5)
Law and Ministry.
Not just for my sons; this applies to all of us.
The law does not save.
The law makes us aware of our sinfulness and how much we fall short.
One can despair in their sin or look to God and His Word for salvation.
We have to hear the Word of God.
We have to have someone preach God’s Word to us.
The Holy Spirit takes the Word that has been heard and plants it deep in our hearts.
We know and understand that there is nothing we can ever do on our own to satisfy God.
But there is Someone who lived a perfect, sinless life.
Someone who died the death that we deserve.
Someone who satisfied the wrath of a holy God.
Someone who is our Lord and Savior.
Jesus.
Fully God.
Fully man.
Jesus kept the law perfectly so He could save those who could never keep the law perfectly.
Law and Ministry.
Standing on His Father’s Word in law as He fought for truth.
Standing on His Father’s Word in ministry as He fought for souls.
His Father.
Our Father, if we believe.
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
To walk humbly with your God in whatever He has called you to do.
To act justly in your calling.
To love mercy and to be merciful to all the people He puts in your path.
You never graduate from that kind of life.
Congratulations on your sons’ achievements! Having Godly parents they are bearing fruit.
Sue,
Thank you. What a lovely thing to say.
All the glory goes to God alone…who makes all things possible.
Gina