PASTOR'S PAGE

I parked in the hospital lot to make a pastoral visit with a patient.  As I pulled in the parking lot, I noticed prices for parking-something like first 20 minutes, free; 30 minutes to 1 hour, $2.50.  I thought “Hmmm, that’s different - charging people to park at a hospital when they are there to see friends or family in the hospital or to keep an appointment with a doctor. Strange!”  But I also said to myself: “Well, if it costs, it costs.  I am here to see someone and I’m going to do just that, no matter the cost.”  And I parked and went into the hospital.

When I got back to my car after the visit, I drove up to the parking attendant and I noticed a sign placed very strategically in the window of the booth that said “Parking doesn’t have to cost.  Ask me about the details.”  So I pulled to the attendant’s window, and said something like, “Hey, I saw your sign.  I’m a pastor visiting someone in the hospital.  Does it cost to park now?”  His response went something like no it doesn’t, we will take care of it.  I thanked him and was about to drive out when he said one more thing that I haven’t forgotten.  Here’s what he said:  “Keep up the good work.”

When he said that, it cut straight to my heart.  Keep up the good work.  Keep up the good work.

As I drove away, I reflected on his words.  He’s right.  It is “good work” to visit people in the hospital.  We get tied up with all the other stuff in our lives and we lose sight of what the “good work” is.  All the other stuff clouds the big picture and lures us into thinking that it is the better thing to do but we fall prey to the monster of “doing good things and missing the best things.”  People need us.  We need people.  People need to know we care! The church cares!  For cryin’ out loud, Christ cares!  And we are the people he uses to show that he cares. 

Another reflection I had as I drove away is that keep up the good work is an encouraging thing to say.  If someone is doing something and working hard at it, they need some encouragement.  Where do you get your encouragement these days?  Let me tell you, there’s not much of it going around.  There is too much finding fault with everyone and everything.  When that parking attendant spoke those words to me that day, he had no idea that I went away thanking God that I had been there keeping up the good work. 

How about you?  Are you keeping up the good work?  Are you keeping up the good work when it comes to your walk with God?  When it comes to your wife or husband?  your children?  your church? 

If you know you aren’t, NOW is a good time to start.  But if you are, then keep up the good work and go find someone to encourage and tell them the same.  Here’s some scripture that illustrates the point:

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  Hebrews 10:23-25

God bless you and “keep up the good work!”

                Pastor David