Craig T. Owens

Monday morning is one of my favorite times. I reflect back on the great things God did in our service the day before, and I look ahead with anticipation to what He is going to do in this next Sunday. If I look at this here-comes-Sunday-again cycle through merely human eyes, it can appear quite overwhelming. But God has called me to do this, and He energizes me by His Holy Spirit.

I love these words from Pastor James MacDonald—

“Only a pastor who preaches biblically for the glory of Jesus and the feeding of souls, week after week, can understand that pressure. It’s like finals week in college—but it happens every week. Explaining a Bible passage is child’s play compared to digging out a word from the Word about the WORD for your people.

“Can you give your best to it again, Pastor? Can you breathe on a passage of Scripture that is now unfamiliar, until it bursts into flame by the faithful ministry of the Holy Spirit in response to your hard work? Can you stoke that fire until it is bursting within you to be proclaimed as the ‘Bread of Life’?

“Yes, you can—and when you have, you will be exhausted but deeply satisfied in what God will do in and through you as a result. And you will count the days until you GET to do it again.”

Pastor, you can do it again! Doing God’s will, preaching His Word, should be your greatest joy and your greatest source of strength. This is why I don’t like to take Monday as my day off: I get so much more nourishment and refreshment from my time in God’s presence on Monday morning than I would get anywhere else.

Meanwhile [Jesus’] disciples urged Him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then His disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought Him food?”

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.”

(John 4:31-34)