Imago Gospels - 06 - Lattice
So the last week or so has had me working on a long-delayed project at home - power washing, sanding and then restaining and painting the stairs and deck to our back door. Yesterday and today was the final part - the staining and painting. Got done with the paining (I thought) this morning and then realized that the lattice work underneath needed to be done. I was none to happy about that fact. I hate painting lattice just slightly more than I hate painting spindles. But as you can see from the picture, it needed to be done. The yellowed old paint really stood out. As I was working on the lattice, I was thinking about the passage for today from Matthew 9 - we read of 6 healing and teachings about fasting and a calling to a new disciple, concluding with a message about the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. I was praying about my ministry and about those who serve in ministry and the reality that the work is never done. Just when you think the work is done, there is another person who needs to talk to a pastor, a prayer that needs to be lifted, a sermon to write, a visit that needs to happen, planning to do, and the list continues (even adding in a few meetings along the way). Some of it is easier to do and more obvious (like the top of the railings or the steps that aren’t pictured here) and some of it is much more challenging, but its all a part of it.
It sure seems that there were times that Jesus felt like he just needed to get away - the Gospels speak of times where he just went away on his own to pray. The never ending needs just kept coming. Yet what was beautiful about Jesus was that he seemed to always have time for those who came. I pray that I can have that same compassion for others.