Encouragement for Brother Pastors
By Duane Bamsch
[Note: Thank you to Pastor Bamsch, who wrote this in 2016, recently reposted it on social media, and gave us permission to republish it here. ~ Ed.
An inordinate number of people seem to think that we faithful clergymen are shrinking violets and milquetoast buffoons unable (or unwilling) to hear of your demons and sins. It may help to remember that we spend every single day in hand-to-hand combat with Satan himself and his demons.
There are no medals for the clergy. No "welcome home" parades after a difficult campaign deep in enemy territory. Nor do we seek such things. Our deep wounds aren't seen with slings or scars, crutches or prosthetics.
Each and every morning, when the reports come in that a Brother has fallen to the lure of Satan, or that Despair has taken another, or that Persecution is about to overrun yet another faithful servant of Christ and his family, we readily gird ourselves with the full armor of God.
We take up the most powerful weapon on Earth - the very Body and Blood of Christ in our Communion Kit - and plunge into the gaping maw of death for another day of the care of souls.
In your moment of need, your pastor will not shun you. He will not shake his head at you for your sin and failure. He will unflinchingy stand by your side even as the Evil One drops his mightiest artillery upon your position.
In your hubris, though, your pastor *will* warn you of the dangers of unrepentance and unbelief, of turning to the gods of this world and betraying your baptism for fleeting pleasure.
All the while he laments that eternity separates those who flee the Lord God willfully to shape gods of their own making. For this, he loses sleep and is stressed over the likelihood of friendly fire coming from those he loves and serves because they will not allow the admonition of the Lord to stand.
Yes, the pay is awful. There aren't enough hours in the day. The phone never stops ringing. You miss another birthday party or recital. Absolutely devastating and gutting news comes too often. You are beaten and despised. So was our Lord Christ. Why should you expect to be treated differently than He who sent you?
These are the consequences of taking up the cross, of having the Lord's hands laid upon you so that you may deliver to the saints of God what was once delivered to you: life, forgiveness, and salvation.
There will be moments of rest and respite; a short vacation here, a getaway or retreat there. Three days with no cell coverage never seemed so wonderful! Yet, shore leave is just that - a temporary sabattical from the endless assaults of the Evil One.
Even so, go forth in confidence, my Brothers in Office, for you are not alone. Go forth for another day, and for every day that your Lord grants you until He returns in glory.
Remember your baptism-in which Death and Satan lost their grip on you. Hold high the Crucified Christ-He who is the Author of Life. Proclaim the life giving Word of God-speak with the same voice that spoke from Mt. Sinai, the burning bush, and the Risen Christ. Give those who need and desire it the Medicine of Immortality-the very antidote to death. And know that there are those who lift you up in their petitions and prayers.
Our greatest reward (for which we, in and of ourselves and without Christ, are utterly unworthy) is Our Lord Himself gathering us into His eternal light and presence and saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
As another Brother prayed for us today:
Holy Father, as Your Son and His blessed apostles cast out demons in Galilee and Judea and beyond by Your Holy Spirit, so remove from us that demon called Despair by Your Word and Spirit, that we might not be tempted to unbelief but would be strengthened by the witness of Your Spirit through the mysteries you have provided, calling us little children and granting us the life and kingdom of Your eternal Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.