For the record, no individual has a “ministry”. Nothing in the Scriptures supports this idea. We all have a “calling”, a unique purpose that God has designed us for and sent us into this time of history to accomplish. Worth noting: nothing is being taken away from you. If your heart were in it you would understand all ministry activity is a gift from God, loaned to us to help us grow and transform into the person God has sent us to become. Everything we do for God has a timeline, a date when we are effective and a time for us to move on to the next season.
The problem is that people serving in ministry have turned their focus on the product and performance of their efforts and not the reason for their efforts. They are operating on their own energy, which will always run short. There will come a day for each of these ministers when three things will happen: 1) They become exhausted. 2) They start to judge. 3) They disconnect and take their show somewhere else.
Whenever you draw on your own power, you are limited to the power at hand. Running short and becoming exhausted is just a matter of time. Once you feel run down and failures begin to occur, then the blame game starts. Judging becomes the status norm. The reason it didn’t work always falls on the shoulders of the crowd or the church, but never on the disillusioned leader. Lastly, the leader usually gets some revelation that “For the betterment of my family, God is calling us on to another opportunity”. Sure He is.
The answer to this heart problem is called “Romemut” in Hebrew. It means “awe and admiration”. When we have Romemut for God, for the people we serve, for the work we do, it changes our position from one of performer to participant. Many of the people serving the church today are just like employees of a business. They get applause, they get the accolades, and they get the positive affirmation. But that is it. That is their pay for their efforts. No Light is elevated when payment is rendered here in this realm.
Romemut is looking at each person we work with; teach to or worship with and seeing his or her intrinsic value to God. It means that I position my heart to receive from them, not just preach to them. It places every act “under the sun” as one having a parallel act in the Kingdom of God.
Romemut is the missing element from most marriages. Remember when you couldn’t wait to see her? When you would call and talk through the night? When you would cross three cities to get to see her for her hour lunch break from work? Now, she can’t get you to walk three steps and get her a drink of water. What happened? Loss of Romemut!
Romemut means admiration and awe. To hold each and every person in a higher status than you hold yourself. It means to leave yourself open to the possibility that every person is a messenger of God sent into your life for your tikkun (correction) and not just there for you to share your “gifting” with.
Romemut is recognizing that the Creator made more than one person He cares about. We are all here, in one degree or another, to serve each other. Having awe and admiration for the plans of the Creator will assist us in never making this a show about us.
Romemut ensures that we are vested in doing what is important and not what is in fashion. Part of the problem of misguided service started when the church decided to become “culturally relevant” which at the same time made the church “spiritually ineffective”. The show went on and only now are the leaders starting to take notice it didn’t work.
Romemut rules out true service without it. All of our actions-all of our intentions-must start from the heart of our Romemut. Having awe and admiration for God and His creation will bring the fake service and false humility to an end.
For those feeling displaced, unwanted or unappreciated, don’t worry. There will be plenty of new gigs and plenty of new people to commiserate with. In the meantime, know that a new face of spirituality is coming. These days, people are looking for depth in their faith and your parking lot puddle depth presentation won’t last.
Romemut offers us all the opportunity to connect with God on a deep and meaningful level. When we express Romemut for God and His created beings, we show our belief that He is the Master and Creator of the Universe.
Restoring Grace serves as an educational resource for your church, small group, seminar or event needs. We specialize in classes Early Christian Communities, New Testament Development and Canon Process and Hebraic Perspectives and Studies. These class offerings are available to you regardless of your group size or needs. Contact us at dfour26@gmail.com for your class needs. Let's see what we can build together..
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