Find Us Faithful

Steve Green sang a song a number of years ago called "Find Us Faithful". The refrain of that song goes like this:

Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful.
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave
 lead them to believe,
 and the lives we live inspire them to obey.
Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful.

 

Yesterday, the benediction was something special for me. In both of the churches on my charge, I gave the final benediction I will give as the appointed pastor. The service included special music brought by me and my children (who are both musicians) and a liturgy for bidding farewell to a pastor. The service was deeply emotional for me and many of those in attendance.

 

Near the end of the service, I sang the song quoted above. It is an old song, but I've found nothing yet that I feel better conveys my hopes for my time in any place of ministry service. The song is really a prayer that simply expresses my heart's desire that after I am gone, people will look back upon my time there and although there were mistakes made (sins of commission and omission), that in general, the footprints that we left behind pointed people toward Jesus.

As I write this blog entry, the movers are at my house packing all of our belongings and preparing them to be delivered to our new home on Wednesday. My family and I will begin walking in ministry in a new place. We will be making new footprints.

 

My personal thoughts over the past few weeks have been deeply reflective of my time in Alma, Georgia. I know I did some things right. I know I did some things wrong. Perhaps what is most troubling to me are the things that I never did at all. I have tried to learn all I can about myself as I think back on my ministry here. I am doing that because I want to walk better in a new place. I want to leave more footprints leading in the right direction so that more will come to believe.

 

Pundits often speak of politicians trying to "rewrite" their legacies as they near the end of their term or even after they leave office. It can also be that preachers are sometimes remembered more fondly after they are gone than they were appreciated during their active ministry. Regardless, I want to begin with the end in mind as I start a new chapter. I want to be mindful that first impressions last only so long and that how we are "normally" is what folks will mostly remember. I don't want a legacy that needs whitewashing after I am gone.

 

I want to leave a genuinely authentic walk with Christ as my legacy so that those who come behind me will find me faithful. I want my own discipleship journey to last beyond the benediction - out of the sermon and into my life. I want there to be no doubt that even though I wasn't perfect, I was faithful.

 

And I know I can't do it alone. Come, Lord Jesus, and guide my feet while I run this race. Come, Holy Spirit, melt me, mold me, fill me, use me. Come, Lord, and speak to me that I may speak.

 

Lord, where I have been, let it be that I am found faithful.