The bible is unequivocal on this point:  Jesus is coming again!  What if Jesus made His triumphal return tonight?  For some of us, the prospect moves us to the edge of our seats with excitement.  For others, it's a terrifying idea.

When I first became a Christian, there were days when I would look up into the sky and imagine Jesus riding on the clouds, bringing an end to this current age.  My heart ached to see Him and to be rid of the shackles of this life.  In my mind's eye I could see myself running to Him and burying myself in His robes of righteousness.  My spirit would overflow with love, joy, and peace.

Today as I ponder this same idea, I find myself somewhat uncertain.  Am I ready for God to expose and examine my life, my attitudes, the thoughts and intentions of my heart.  Are most, if not all of us, in the church ready?  Revelation 19 describes our final, perfect union with Christ as a wedding.  And it adds that "His bride has made herself ready.  Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.  (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints)."

I don't think my life is the model of righteous acts that it could be.  Or at least, it could be more so.  It's not that there are any obvious or gross sins - just not the shining light in the dark world that I think Jesus had in mind.  So now I find myself refocusing, renewing my commitment, and determining to be open and available for God to work through me as He sees fit.  I don't want to be a mediocre Christian.  Ready or not - here I go.

Few things in life are as scary as letting another person look deep inside of us - letting them see who we really are.  I got thinking about this as I read Philip Gulley's wonderful book Home to Harmony.  He wrote, "The bench still sits in front of the Rexall.  Sometimes I eat my lunch there and wonder about the passing people - where they've been and where they're headed.  I thought I knew them, but now that I'm their pastor it occurs to me that I don't know them at all.  Perhaps I never did.  Never knew their desolations, their pinings, their hunger for grace in a grace-starved world.  The only things I know of them are the things they want me to know."

How much of my true self do I let others see - even those who are completely trustworthy because they love me?  I am loved by my wife, my mom, my pastor, and others.  If I am honest (and it's not easy to be), I think I'd have to say only my wife gets close to 100% honesty from me.   My mom knows me pretty thoroughly because, well, because she's my mom and moms are like that.  And I let my pastor see most of me because of our history together.  We have been through a lot and I love him and treasure him for it.

But I have to say, being transparent is traumatic.  It is risky business and I don't like risks.  I think in the end it all comes down to this:  Will I trust God to love me through the people He has brought into my life?  Will I trust myself to these good people?  And will I be okay if something in me is too much for them to handle?  I am on a journey to be able to answer yes to these questions.  It is worth it, because the greatest treasures on earth are found in the relationships God has given us.

Would you like to join me in the trauma center?

Throughout the 23 years I was a pastor, I prayed that God would give me a pastor's heart.  I continue to pray for my pastors that they would have pastors' hearts.  But what, you may be asking, does a pastor's heart look like?

In Ezekiel 34, God's heart for us is revealed, and it is a pastor's heart.  For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:  I myself will search for my sheep and look after them....I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness....I will bring them into their own land.  I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel....I will tend them in a good pasture....I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down....I will search for the lost and bring back the strays.  I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak....I will shepherd the flock with justice. 

There are clearly some prerequisites to being a pastor.  It begins with a heart for the people God has entrusted to your care.  It builds upon the sacrificial dedication to feed and protect the people.  And it continues with the determination to bring back to the fold those who are disillusioned, wounded, and spiritually weak.  Clearly, wimps need not apply.

The only way this calling can be fulfilled is for pastors to be exceptional people with exceptional dedication, supported by exceptional love and commitment of the rest of us.  I am so grateful that my pastor has a pastor's heart.  But I don't take it for granted.  I pray for him, support him, and serve him in any and every way I can.  I invite you to do the same so you, too, can be grateful for your pastor and his/her pastor's heart.

In Proverbs it says that a word spoken at the right time, in the right way is like "apples of gold and pitchers of silver."  In the words of a certain credit card company, it is priceless.  I have been blessed to be around many encouragers. 

My parents were both encouragers.  I grew up with my parents expressing their confidence in me and their support of my endeavors when I wanted to try something new.  When I first entered the ministry, my pastor and mentor constantly encouraged me to develop my gfts and to try new things for the sake of the Kingdom of God.  My wife is my biggest cheerleader.  She constantly affirms and encourages me.  Like I said, I have been blessed.

I want to be an encourager, too.  I now teach 10 and 11 year old kids and it's amazing to see how they respond to a simple "atta boy."  Stopping to focus on each one as an individual and to let them know what positive trait I see in them, refreshes their spirit and enlivens them.  Students who struggle and start to believe they are not capable in the classroom can be turned around with the right encouragement.

I think the same is true in the church.  Those people seated all around us are aching for affirmation and acceptance.  Simple expressions of love, appreciation, and encouragement help them stay focused on the Lord and enthused about serving the Lord.  I think the same is true for pastors, as well.  We can minister to the ministers by our encouragement.

It doesn't take much time, but what a difference it can make.  Encouragement is powerful.

I had lunch today with a close friend who attended a conference recently for church leaders.  He shared about several conversations he had with pastors and church leaders who are feeling very beat up.  I know how that feels.

Not too long after I stepped away from pastoral ministry, my wife stepped away from me.  In fact, she stepped so far, she left to marry someone else.  Talk about feeling beat up, that is just about as bad as it gets.

So, how would the average church respond to a man who had been their leader, their shepherd, their inspiration, once they see his marriage fail before their very eyes?  I was blessed (and continue to be blessed) by a congregation that loved me for me, not because I was the founding pastor of the church and had shepherded them for a period of time.  They saw me as their brother in Christ and a wounded one at that.

Someone once said that the Church is the only army that shoots its wounded.  That may be true in some circumstances, but I believe in better things.  The Church has the potential of transforming lives - all ages, all backgrounds, all people.  My life was transformed by the love of my friends.  I healed and am now married to the most wonderful woman in the world (I know I sound biased, but really, I'm not).

When the church joins hands with its leaders, the gates of hell will not prevail.