Whoa!
May 5, 2008My ordination certificate sits right above my computer. I confess that I don’t read it except to make sure my name is on there. I just looked up to read these words as a great reminder of my calling and vocation
Under the providence of Almighty God, I, a bishop of The United Methodist Church, have, by the imposition of my hands and by prayer, set this one apart for the work of an elder in the Church, to preach the Word of God and to administer the Holy Sacraments, so long as this person continues to be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ and adheres to and teaches the Gospel of our Lord and the doctrine of the Church.
It’s not even a reaction to what I was ordained to do, it’s the stipulation, as though this were a part of an ancient near eastern treaty. I’m ordained to do these things so long as. That’s a tall order, but I believe that I am pursuing as much as I am pursued by Jesus Christ. God has cornered me spiritually and I am grateful for his attention as he makes me into a disciple.
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Great post. Thinking about that kind of stuff makes always makes me tremble a little bit with the responsibility it points to. But thanks be to God for our calling.