“I was blameless before Him,
and I kept myself from my guilt.
So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.”
Psalm 18:23–24

I spend a lot of time with women. It’s my vocation, my mission, and it gives me great joy. I am blessed to spend time hearing the stories of women, sharing in their sorrows, and encouraging them in their walk. But wait, this is an article about men. True statement.

Tucked into the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel is the somewhat well-known Bible story of King David bringing the ark of the covenant back into the city of Jerusalem and dancing down the streets before the Lord Almighty, praising Him.

Ephesians 5 is one of the most difficult passages for most married people to take in. We can read it and nod our heads and say, “That’s so nice!” but then walk away with absolutely no way to apply it.  In fact, Ephesians 5 often causes our old Adam to well up in the worst of ways, pointing fingers at ways our spouse fails us daily or, in worst cases, ending marriages in the heartache and trauma of devaluing and abuse.  So we avoid it. We avoid reading it; we avoid discussing it; and we hope and pray that our pastor doesn’t preach about it on Sunday.  

And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. Matthew 8:24

“I hate trying to have devotions with my family,” the young mom confided with tears in her eyes.

Humanity is broken. It’s a basic fact. The world struggles, besieged by natural disasters, cancer, heartache, malnutrition, prejudice, and on and on. There is good in the world, but even when we see good, we are prepared for the “other shoe” and the next news report of disaster. But what does all of this have to do with my marriage?

A pastor is a professional juggler. Not the kind who belongs to a three-ring circus. Just your average guy who wears countless hats: student of the Word, spiritual caregiver, sermon writer, shut-in visitor, service planner, administrative coordinator. And the list goes on and on.

“[The word amen] is nothing else than the word of undoubting faith, which does not pray on a dare but knows that God does not lie to him. . . . For He has promised to grant it.”  (Large Catechism, Part 3, Last Petition).

If you’re a church worker feeling guilty about taking a little break from daily duties—don’t. You’re human like the rest of us, and God created us to thrive in a balancing act of work and rest.