I just returned to the house from a funeral for a gentleman that was a retired Pastor. He served in churches in rural South Carolina, West Virginia, and Virginia. He served as an interim at our church about 7 or 8 years ago. I was struck by the words shared because they were words that glorified God for the life he lived.
I did not have the privilege of knowing Thomas Taylor as the time I did get to visit him was at the end of his life and he was in bad shape. He never served in a large congregation yet served faithfully in rural contexts for over 30 yrs. There is much to be thankful for when it comes to the faithfulness of those who invest their lives in the body in what was described today as the out of the way places. He did that. The church was not packed out today but the was a definite spirit of thankfulness for one who shepherded the souls of those where many would not go serve.
I pray that it can be said of me that I was faithful to the gospel, that the gospel truly saturated my soul, and that I served well when I reach the end of my life. I have found that there is no out of the way place in His will. There is nothing easy about shepherding in a rural context yet there is nothing better than serving our Great God and King where HE has placed me. I'm thankful the HE reminded me of that today.
