This morning, there are many of God's ministers that get downtrodden. Sometimes, a minister may wonder, "Is my preaching really having any effect at all?" However, the Lord continues to uphold His ministers and encourage them (sometimes through members of the congregation). There are times when I am in a dry spell, and when it seems like more than I can bear, someone will say, "I thought the Lord richly blessed you today." This encouragement gives the minister the strength to carry on and keep shouldering the burden to which he has been called. 

There are many "fine details" to the word of God that are very beautiful when first realized. They seem to shoot out at you where they did not before. Consider a single word of difference in the address that Paul makes in his epistles. In the epistles to churches (Corinthians, Ephesians, etc) he always says, "Grace and peace," but in the epistles to ministers (I Timothy, II Timothy, and Titus), he says, "Grace, mercy, and peace." This one little word bears great importance because of who he addresses. Churches stand in need of the grace and peace from the Lord of Heaven. Churches cannot have peace or be blessed with grace unless He is in their midst. Ministers of the gospel need these things as well. However, ministers also stand in need of mercy.  

Mercy does not mean tolerance (as some would like to think). Rather, mercy invokes connotations of compassion towards one that has a great burden and responsibility. Consider that a minister is nothing without the Lord. His preaching is an eloquent oration at best if he is alone in the pulpit. Some of the finest preachers in this world are like the finest generals. These preach and general from their arm chairs, without realizing what kind of weight and responsibility a minister has upon him. It is a fearful thing to stand before the saints of God and attempt to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. It is even more fearful to realize the Lord does not seem to be in attendance.  Therefore, because of this, the minister needs mercy.  

He needs compassion. For, a minister (no matter how blessed) is still a man that makes mistakes. There have been times that I have said things unclearly or perhaps even improperly (I trust that it was not my intent). In cases like these, the minister greatly needs the mercy of the congregation for his mistakes. Any preacher that feels above imperfections is most assuredly wrong in that foolish notion. May we ever be merciful to one another, and encourage the ministers of the Lord (but not to their praise and glory) in the greatest cause on earth.

In Hope,

Bro Philip