He gives us strength and courage to be the suffering servants he has called us to be. And he provides us with the wisdom to discern the various spirits of criticism so that we may know whether they are constructive in his sight or destructive. Jesus speaks of being wisely and carefully prepared for the future. The challenge is to have what it takes to finish the tower you begin to build, to have the troops that are needed to win the battle. The incredible intricacy of the inner workings of the pipe organ is not unlike the intricacy of preparing a lesson plan or planning a campus ministry study break or arranging for an intergenerational event.
Most people only see the end product and have no idea of what all went into the process.
Just as pastors get kidded about only having to work one morning a week, so also an Associate in Ministry may expect to be asked how in the world she is able to fill a forty-hour week with work, when in fact she may well exceed that number of hours most weeks. Yet in spite of what people see or think, the fact is that careful preparation is the mark of missional faithfulness. It may not seem necessary in the sight of the many, but it is required by the one who is first in our lives, our Lord Jesus Christ. And not this day only, but every day of our lives as baptized members of the Body of Christ. The dedication of the organ and the commissioning of Eileen Spehr are special events which we celebrate in a unique way this morning.