In Luke 1:72-73, Zechariah recognizes that Jesus will be one who God uses “to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” This last line helped me remember that God enables me to minister 1) without fear 2) in holiness and righteousness 3) before him 4) all our days.
“Without fear.” Fear increases whenever I trust in myself. When I recognize the immensity of the ministry task and the weakness in me without a vision of “God with me”, fear grows. When I am trusting in “little me” to tackle the great task, I feel overwhelmed. God invites me to place that immense task next to His infinite power and there find confident strength and rest. I grow confident of His empowering and guiding presence.
“In holiness and righteousness.” I am often tempted to see ministry as first about my activity. This phrase points to the critical nature of character. Ministry is more than a God “to do” list. Ministry is an expression of the compassion and activity of God in and through me. When it is indeed God at work through me, the character of my work will be enriched with patience, kindness and gentleness—fruits of His Spirit in me.
“Before him.” Not only is ministry rooted in godly character, but all of that occurs “before Him”—in His presence. Ministry, like character, is a fruit of communion with Him. My service begins in the place of conversational relationship with God. Ministry isn’t a distant “working for God”, but an intimate “working with God.” Am I tempted to see service as activity first, rather than first a relationship with Him on behalf of others? Paul calls himself and his colleagues “God’s fellow workers” (1 Corinthians 3:9).
“All our days.” Ministry is a lifelong working with God, not just an impressive sprint followed by inactivity. Ministry is a long-distance race, run in concert with the Spirit of God. How do we find the endurance to continue the journey of serving God and His purposes? It is as we learn to serve in the presence of Love that casts out fear, in growing union with God’s own character and in continuing communion with Him. May courage, holiness and communion sustain me in the life and work You’ve given me.
Join the Conversation
Which of the four phrases in the line, “without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days” seem to hit closest to home in your present ministry journey?
Alan Fadling serves as Associate Director of The Leadership Institute in Orange, CA, a ministry that trains Christian leaders to integrate spiritual formation and leadership development. His blog, “Notes from My Unhurried Journey” is giving birth to a book on this theme to be published by InterVarsity Press (late 2012).
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