IN BETWEEN SUNDAYS

We live in Johannesburg, about 600kms away from our bustling hometown of Durban where our parents and siblings reside. Due to our work and church commitments, we only travel to Durban three or four times a year. This is an incredibly exciting experience for our two young children, aged 2 and 5 as they get to spend some quality time with their grandparents, aunt’s and cousins.

As soon as we announce our plans to go to Durban, our son Adriel starts counting the number of sleeps left before we leave. He especially loves to spend time with his grandpa, and fishing is always his top request.

Pa, 66 years old, is the Pastor of a Church in Mt Edgecombe. Together with his wife, Grandma Selvie they are actively involved in full time ministry, and have been for the past 35 years. Due to Covid, and our responsibilities at our Church in Joburg, we had delayed going to Durban for a while, so it was nine months since our last trip to see our family.

Our children were jumping for joy and Adriel couldn’t wait to go fishing with his Pa, have fun playing cards and doing all the wonderful things grandparents do with their grandchildren.

However, the fishing trip Pastor Mark had promised to his grandson had to be postponed and postponed and eventually cancelled.

A lot happens in between Sundays, and often congregants have no idea of the amount of responsibility that weighs heavily on their Pastors shoulders.

During the week we were in Durban, a house belonging to a member of Pastor Mark’s congregation literally went up in flames. The family lost everything. He had to rush there to provide emotional and psychological support as well as financial assistance. Pastor Mark has personally taken on the project to raise funds to rebuild the house and make sure the building is suitable for the family to live in.

A faithful congregant passed away and he had to be of support to the family at their home, and later that week conduct the funeral. A funeral takes the entire day as the officiating Pastor has to be there from the morning until the burial in the afternoon.

Two days later a close family member of a faithful family in his congregation passed away. Pastor Mark graciously conducted the funeral, again a responsibility that took much of the day.

Amidst all of this, Pastor Mark and his wife had to conduct numerous counselling sessions, especially with married couples, lasting up to 4 hours a session!

I have not even touched on the time set aside for Prayer, by name, for members of his congregation or the hours spent studying the Word of God and preparing to preach to a Church full of people waiting for their Pastor to teach, edify and encourage them. All this in the midst of the Covid19 pandemic.

At 66 years old, many people in other professions would have retired by now, but a Pastor never retires. Their love for their flock never dies. 

Pastor Mark is one of many Pastors who have dedicated their entire lives to the benefit of others.

Today I’d like to encourage you to Honour Your Pastor and keep him and his family in constant prayer.

The sermon you watch your Pastor share on a Sunday morning is but a fraction of his daily sacrifice of time and resource. Remember his wife, remember his children, remember his grandchildren. Pray for them. Check on their well-being. Be kind and gracious to them. Moreover, try to do your bit to be of support in the work of the ministry.

My son may have not gone on that fishing trip, but he will always be reminded of the legacy his Pa has left him and the many lives that have been touched.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-14

“We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”