“Master of Divinity.” A few months ago I heard someone comment on the
massive overstatement in that graduate degree’s title. Similarly, I recently
saw a seminary advertise its Doctor of Ministry program with a slogan something
like “Becoming an Expert.” I told my bride I needed to return my degree if that
was the intended outcome of the program.
The men in our congregation have a monthly fellowship. We met last
night, and one of our guys had us read Psalm 19:7-9. I’ve taught this passage
so many times over the years; it’s my go-to passage when I’m introducing the
idea of biblical parallelism to people. I know this passage. Still, two things
were pointed out to me that I’d never noticed before. First, there is the
six-fold repetition “of the LORD.”
Can you believe I never really noticed that? I was simultaneously excited to
see it and a little sheepish that I’d never noticed it! Second, a brother
pointed out the creation elements in 19:1-6, and the further creation aspect in
our “soul” (19:7), “the heart” (19:8), and “the eyes” (19:8). Not only is God
Personal Creator of the heavens, but of us as individuals, and His glory shows
in it all. Wow.
Second, my bride pulled together two verses that I’d always separated
in my mind (foolishly): “…in Him all
things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church” (Colossians
1:17b,18a). Wow, again. I can’t hold “all things…together,” including “the church.” I needed to hear
that. Seriously. I needed it to the core of my being. My bride was used (once again) by the Holy Spirit, through the Word, to provide a much-needed balm for my soul.
Regardless our years of experience, and in spite of the pieces of paper
matted in frames on our walls, we need each other desperately in the Church,
especially in the area of the ministry of the Word. My dissertation, in partial
fulfillment of that latest piece of paper, emphasized the “prophethood of all
believers” and the role all believers must have in the Spirit-empowered,
Christ-centered ministry of the Word. Yesterday the Holy Spirit convicted me anew
that the dissertation wasn’t just a hoop to jump through to graduate; it is the
great need of the Church in this day. It is the great need of this pastor, who
is far from being a “Master” or an “expert” in anything.
We need each other.
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| Got home after sunset following our men's meeting. Enjoyed the message of God's glory the sky was preaching while I let my dogs run a little. |
