Day 19: Preachers

My husband has been assigned to preach and teach at my church a few times this year, and when I know the day he has to preach is coming up, I like to make a joke saying that during that week of preparation, I will be single. Why? When he is preparing for his sermon or lesson, he is holed up in our office, digging through scripture and commentaries to prepare his sermon, and I cease to exist. He is so engrossed in his preparation that it is as if I am not there. And it has made me think if this is my husband every couple of months, what must it be like for pastors who need to teach and preach every week and often, multiple times a week?

Preachers have been given the great responsibility of feeding the flock; to do so, they must be vigilant in prayer. They must spend many hours in the word to ensure they will not preach a false doctrine. They must confer with other preachers and pastors to ensure what they are saying is true and that they are not misusing the word of God for their benefit or to mislead the church. This is why it takes so much to prepare, and while they are preparing, many preachers hold full-time jobs, limiting the time they have to prepare and often leading to many nights of little sleep (this I have learned through experience). Let us pray that God may continue to use them in our lives and that they may be given the energy and wisdom to continue to preach God’s word to us. May they do so for God’s glory and not their own.

"Lord, today I present to you the preachers in the church. May you fill them with wisdom to preach your word and fear not to misinterpret or be misled in their studies. I pray that you help them balance their preparation time and everyday responsibilities. I pray they seek you wholeheartedly while they prepare their sermons. That they will have the resources to double-check their work and ensure the true gospel is being preached. May they never think lightly of what they do but understand what a great responsibility it is. I thank you for providing us with many men willing to preach and teach in the church, and I pray you continue to grow them in your truth. I thank you and pray these things in Jesus' Holy name, amen."

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

2 Timothy 2:15

SDG – “Soli Deo Gloria”