Ministries Should, Finally, = Life

WED., JUNE 16, 1993, 9:30 AM
OFFICE, PULLIAM HALL

I have told you about various ministries, some of which are yours to have, enjoy, or be somewhat frustrated by. I have told you what a ministry basically is, and though I judge that you have a rather good idea of how this ties in with daily life, I want, on this warm pre-summer day, to make this more clear.

A ministry is anything and everything you do which is of service to Me and to others, in My Name. This obviously infers that there is a range of such ministries, from the very conscious, through the semi-conscious, on to those that are unconscious. What does this mean? What are examples along this continuum?

Last Sunday you led the worship service, and as part of that serving opportunity you led the congregation in prayer. You were praying to Me, as Almighty God, hoping that others would be saying, “Me, too” to your suggestions. This was a very conscious, very direct service to Me and to others, clearly related to you and their relationship with Me.

Yesterday you enjoyed and profited from a meeting on the Joy of Caring for Dying People. You had some realization, as this day progressed, that one aspect of your teaching ministry is to be well prepared for courses that you teach. The one you teach most often is Death Education, and one important aspect of this is to help learners see that death is a part of the life cycle, a natural, necessary part (despite a few Scriptures that seem to say otherwise). I have told you that, at this particular time in human history it is quite important for humans to see the positive values in death and deaths. You have a mission to encourage this change in thinking, and this meting with Vickie was a means to your doing this more effectively. You were semi-conscious of this. One of the rationales for reaccepting this perspective is what My Scriptures and these Teachings have told you: death is a moving on, usually to a better “setting” for your spirit. Even those who have not accepted Me… or who have rejected Me… find themselves in an environment in which they can see their errors and shortcomings more clearly, and how they can move ahead, instead of regressing.

Last Sunday as you joined those who consciously want to be lay caregivers in the church context you felt both a mild leading toward this and the continuing conviction that this sort of interaction is not part of your conscious ministry. Mostly when “counseling opportunities” arise, you respond well, but are only partially conscious of this as a ministry of yours. I’d say it should remain thus. Ambivalence is appropriate, for you, for this.

I have labelled your concern for the building and grounds at UCM as a minor ministry of yours, but you have only occasionally felt this as you are mowing, clipping, or moving stickery locust limbs. You feel it a bit more about your own place, but more so when students will be coming… and then it is a more your own pride than a desire to maintain a beautiful place as a service to Me, your Lord and Guiding Spirit.

You are quite aware of the concept of enlightenment, as it is perceived by Hindus and Buddhists. You also are aware that I have confided that the born-again state, that you claim, is the Christian way to the same kind of enlightenment experience. What you do realize, increasingly, but still only in part, is that every moment in life should be dedicated to Me that I am both within you and also an external help. The more you realize this and think in these terms only the more everything that you do will be a ministry. Even times of rest and relaxation can be dedicated to Me. Even times of difficult, frustrating toil can be Mine to share.