Faithful Service: A Minister’s Call to Serve for Life

It was a cold evening, but we had made a commitment to attend the Christmas dinner, so off we went. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by other ministers and enjoyed a delicious meal. As the evening drew to a close, an older, faithful minister shared a few words and then revealed that, at the end of December, he would be resigning from his position.

Ministers come and go, but this particular minister is 84 years old and has served the Lord faithfully for 60 years. What made the evening truly memorable, however, was when he shared his hope to continue preaching and serving the Lord on January 1st. After decades of service, most people would consider retirement or taking a well-deserved rest. But this dedicated minister explained that he hoped to serve until the Lord called him home.

His words reminded me of the scripture from 1 Corinthians 15:58, which says, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

While our roles in ministry may change over time, we are never told to sit idle and let others do the work of God. In Romans 12:11, we are encouraged: “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

We all have days when we need to rest and recharge, but we are never encouraged to give up or quit. Instead, we are called to serve the Lord with a glad and willing heart, knowing that our labor is never in vain.