Editor's Musings

Editor's Musings

Opening thoughts from the editor's desk.

Sharon Cress is editor of the Journal. 

First Corinthians 3:9 says, "We are laborers together with God." This inspirational short text from Paul has given me some insights that I believe can be specifically applied to us as ministry wives.

(1) Sometimes, as clergy spouses, we need to remind ourselves that we, too, are "laborers" in ministry. We are not obligated to "serve" the church because we married ministers. God only asks us to serve Him if we love HIM—not because we love the church or love our husbands. We are gifted by God and privileged to use these talents to His glory simply because we love Jesus. If this isn't our motivation, we are walking down a path that has the potential to lead us to bitterness, resentment, and a load too heavy for us to carry.

(2) We are in this together with the Lord. He has not asked us to bear the workload without Him. He desires that He work with and through us. I don't much like dusting our house, and it seems like a full-time job to stay ahead of it. I could look at my dust mitt and demand that it dust the house without my presence, but not a lot would be accomplished. Probably the only place that would be dust-free is where the mitt lay! But by putting my hand into the glove, a lot can be accomplished. We need God to be inside everything we do. Then it will be done to His priorities and accomplished His way.

(3) We are all in this "together." North of San Francisco, California, are the beautiful Muir Woods. Here, great coastal redwoods tower high toward heaven and make a natural cathedral of trees. Many of these trees are more than 1,000 years old. But you don't find them growing in isolation—they are clustered together and actually hold each other up. Most of their roots are entangled, and this network provides them with support during raging storms. This is why they have survived so many years—they have clung together for strength during the bad times. As clergy wives, we need to uphold each other, support each other, and pray for each other.

Let's all hold on to Jesus and hold on to each other so that together we can love Him more and serve Him wisely every day.