The Shepherd’s Example (13)
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet… Psalm 8.3-6
The writer of the book of Hebrews confirms that this mandate, this appointment to exercise dominion over the works of God, continues into the period of the New Testament (Heb. 2.5-8). That this charge is part of our great salvation (v. 3) challenges us to an ever-expanding view of what being saved involves, and of the prospects for new life and Kingdom progress that are held out for us who know the Lord.
Hildegard of Bingen marveled at the greatness of this mandate: “You, O God, have wonderfully created all things. You have crowned the human being with the splendid golden crown of the understanding and clothed him with the honourable robe of visible beauty. You have made him the ruler over Your exalted and perfect works, which You have distributed justly and well throughout Your creation. Over all other creatures You have granted the human being high worth and admirable dignity” (Scivias).
We are appointed, in all our work, to do the works of God. We need His help in this (Ps. 90.12, 16, 17). The way we do our work will be affected by how we see it, and the way God’s people do their work will be affected by how they see us doing ours. When the people we serve begin to see their work as God’s work, their attitudes, demeanor, and productivity will change. The challenge of the pastor is to equip the people in his care to take up all their work as a gift and stewardship from the Lord.
And this must begin, be sustained by, and return to again and again our vision of Jesus and our earnest desire to be more like Him (Heb. 2.9; 2 Cor. 3.12-18). And when God’s people see this in us, they will want more of this great salvation as well.
Being disciples and making disciples
Perhaps the most crucial aspect of being and making disciples is living in the Presence of the Lord. In my conversations with Mike McQueen, we begin the first of a series of discussions on this topic. Click the link or the audio bar at the top of this teaching letter to listen in.
Resources for Shepherds
Let me encourage you to visit our Resources for Shepherds page at the Ailbe Website. You’ll find a review of the Journal of John Woolman, one of the first outspoken and consistent opponents of the slave trade in the American experience. You will also be challenged by A. D. Labuschagne’s challenge to “speak Jesus” in all our words and deeds. Lots of other insights, reviews, and links you might have missed if you haven’t been to our Resources for Shepherds page for a while.
Our men’s study group, “Praying with the Psalms”, leads us day by day and step by step into the experience of praying the psalms more consistently and with greater effects. You can join this group any time. We meet once a month and review four psalms each time we meet. Jump in anywhere (we’re on Psalm 3 this week) and stay as long as you like. For now, register for this free study by sending me an email at [email protected] and ordering the book, Praying with the Psalms from our bookstore (book or free PDF).
Other columns of interest this week: In our ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” we continue looking at ways the Law of God applies to our lives. This week our Read Moore podcast wraps up our consideration of the question, What in Heaven Is Jesus Doing on Earth?; and our Crosfigell teaching letter continues our study of the life of Brigid, a contemporary of Brendan. Click hereto see all the other columns and writers available to you.
From the Celtic Revival
Brigit, woman ever excellent, golden, radiant, flame
Lead us to the eternal Kingdom, the brilliant, dazzling sun.
One of the columns of the land with Patrick preeminent,
The adornment above, the royal queen.
– From Ultán’s Hymn[1]
O LORD, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth…
– Psalm 8.1
Brigit, a contemporary of Brendan of Clonfert (mid-6th century), is one of the most fascinating of the great leaders of the Celtic Revival. So beloved was she that it’s hard to separate the true thread of her life from the hyperbole with which her story is told. But we’re havin’ a go at it, so why not join us?
Follow the rest of Brigit’s amazing story. Add our twice-weekly Crosfigell teaching letter to your subscriptions.
The Celtic Revival: Overview and Theology
Two free PDFs will help you to understand the vast scope of the Celtic Revival (ca. 430-800 AD) and to examine the theology of the period at first-hand:
The Celtic Revival: A Brief Introduction
Theology of the Celtic Revival, Part II: Foundations
T. M. Moore
If you have found this issue of Pastor to Pastor helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Support for Pastor to Pastor comes from our faithful and generous God, who moves our readers to share financially in our work. If this article was helpful, please give Him thanks and praise.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
[1] Davies and O’Loughlin, p. 121
