Visiting

One of the areas of ministry where I can feel the devil very prominent is the are of pastoral care visits.

When I hear of someone who needs visiting or I should go and visit them; I am not very thrilled at all. I've got all the good intentions in the world to go and visit them, but it is just so easy for me to just not do it.

And I don't know why.

Because this is the thing......they are so rewarding!

More rewarding than preaching a sermon, more rewarding than handing in the last final exam of the semester, more rewarding than winning any sport ever, more rewarding than having a light bulb go off in my head for the sermon to come together.....

I can't explain how awesome these visits are.

Last week, I went to the Artesia Christian Home where we have a close to 10 members. I visited some of them, not all of them. I had been there before two times with an elder; however, this was my first time going 'solo'.

Therefore I was super nervous.

But I went anyway.

And oh my, these old people sure do know how to make me laugh! And smile! And give God all the glory!

For many of them, the end of their life is very near. But they don't focus on that.....here is what one lady said,

"You know Brady, death can come to me anytime it wants (I did not ask a question leading into this or even hint at death....she said this out of the blue). It can come anytime it wants because I have the greatest hope that I'm going to be with my Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. I am assured of my salvation and for this Brady; I give God all the glory. And in your preaching and teaching and ministering Brady, my hope for you is that you will give all the glory to Him and that you would spend more time on your knees than in the pulpit. Preach the Gospel and nothing but the pure Gospel."

I felt like this was a Paul to Timothy moment a little bit.

The first time we visited her, she kept saying how young I was and how crazy it was to see a young minister making visits.

These words are awesome.

Also last week, we had a member who is 91 years old, who was admitted to the hospital because of internal bleeding. So, when I heard of this, I immediately went up there. I had never met her before either or never been in this hospital.

But I went anyways.

As I walked in and told her who I was and met her daughter there; we had the greatest conversation! I was only there for about 10 minutes before she had to be taken down for a test; so I went back the next day and I stayed and we chatted for an hour!

What a blessing this is to hear how God is at work in all our lives.

He never stops working.

To God be the glory.