Thank You, Lord! Thank You All God's Faithful Servants

On Monday, October 23, I went fishing with my brother, James. I am a pastor in the Lutheran Church, as is James. In fact, James now serves as District President for the Florida-Georgia District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. So, on their day off, in a boat, on a lake, on a beautiful day, what do you think two pastors discussed? Of course; we talked about church business. J

Our major topic of discussion was relationships in congregations. We discussed talking with fellow Christians in love and respect. We talked about how church workers and congregations deal with each other in negative ways, and in positive ways. But, perhaps the longest discussion revolved around the wisdom of simply saying, “Thank You!”

I mentioned to James that Kathy has shared with me that the one thing which has, for her, set good bosses apart from those who could improve their job performance, the one thing which sets good supervisors apart is appreciation for their workers. James followed up with a story about how his congregation had recognized the good work of their pre-school director. She was overwhelmed. James related that she had said, “In 35 years as a Lutheran teacher my dad never received this kind of thanks.” I could go on how we discussed failures to appreciate others, and the blessings of doing so.

Thanks is part of the life of a faithful Christian. First, of course, we give thanks to God Himself. Many of the verses in Psalms call God’s people to thankful hearts. “Give thanks to him; bless his name! 5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100:5b – 6) God’s people are called to be thankful, not in order to earn God’s love, but because our Lord IS loving . . . eternally. Christians realize that this eternal love ultimately points to Jesus who gives us eternal life through His sacrifice on our behalf.

God provides a list of faithful behaviors for His children through the teachings of Paul in 1 Thesslonians 5. “16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Notice that verse 18 calls us to “Give Thanks in All Circumstances.” We certainly thank our Lord for the gift of life. We thank our Heavenly Father that He provides for us and protects us. We thank God for His saving love. But, in addition to thanking our Lord, it is also good to give thanks to others for their faithful service.

The danger of publicly thanking one person is that so many others who deserve thanks are forgotten. But, this week I want to recognize two faithful pastors. Pastor Bob Besalski has been my pastor since our family moved to Gainesville, Florida, in July 1965. He has been a faithful shepherd to me and to my family, and an example to me as I serve. Bob is now 90, and fighting cancer. But even today he continues to encourage others, and to encourage me, and to encourage James. Thank you, Bob! By the way, on Monday, October 23, James gave Bob a certificate of recognition for 65 years of service since his ordination. Wow!

I also want to say “thank you” to another pastor, Pastor Richard Allen. I first met Dick in 1996 when he came to Alaska to serve at Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Wasilla. Bob Besalski graduated from seminary in 1958. Dick graduated in 1959. Dick had experienced a heart attack in the year previous to coming to Alaska, and had then retired from “full-time work.” But, Dick served Lamb of God with attention to God’s people and faithfulness to Scripture. And the congregation grew. He later served at Anchorage Lutheran, and Zion Lutheran Churches in Anchorage when they were without pastors. Beginning in 1999 Dick served with me at St. John for over 15 years. Dick had a quiet dignity, and loved God’s people. He passed away on Sunday, October 22. I called Dick before we left Alaska. But, I wish I had said “thanks” to Dick even more than I did. “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)

God’s plans for His Church to bless His people. Our Lord intends for the Christian Church to be family, to provide love and encouragement for His children as they live in faith. A good way to provide such encouragement is a simple “thank you.” Sometimes it takes growing old to learn these simple lessons.