Co-Laboring Apprentices in a Dance with the Lord
Co-Laboring Apprentices in a Dance with the Lord; that is the most that any of us are, our keynote speaker said. The words resonated with me. “We are co-laboring with the Holy Spirit and apprentices of our Master.” That is really true, I thought. Like Kyle, I don’t know what I am doing more often than I do. I walk around praying for wisdom, earnest that God would help me.
One would think that after 38 years in full-time ministry I would have all the answers. I would walk cooly and calmly into every situation, drawing from this deep reservoir of experience. But Truth: there are so many times my prayer is, “Father, I don’t know how to do this. Help me.”
As uncomfortable as this makes me feel, Kyle Maestri, the Head of School at Trinity Christian School in Prescott, said that this is where all of us need to be. We need to see ourselves as we are, completely in need of Jesus’ help in all that we do. Though he was speaking to head administrators of Christian schools from Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and California, I realized that this applies to everyone of us at Veritas.
We are working together, co-laboring, in the spiritual formation of human beings. Our children are precious to the Lord. Intimately knit together by the Hand of God. (Psalm 139:13-14) He has strong warnings for those who cause them to stumble into sin. (Matthew 18:6) I serve the school with fear and trepidation at the awesomeness of this task. And I know that you as parents also feel this weight.
At times we all question if we are up to the task in front of us. At those times Kyle Maestri had some advice. He said that we need to “dance with the Lord.” He said that successful school leadership is a dance between Prayers of Faith and Strategic Planning; between resting in Jesus and working hard, really hard. I was really convicted when he pointed out that the most important relationship in the school is the relationship of the Head of School and God. “The prayer life of the individual leaders is the lifeblood of the school.”
If this is true about Veritas Academy, then I think this is equally true for each home. The most important relationship in your home is the relationship of Dad with God. Time must be carved out of every busy man’s schedule for prayer. As leaders, we must recognize our complete dependence on God. Look at the ministry of Jesus; how did it work?
Constantly Jesus drew apart to have time with the Father. He explained His Ministry Strategy in a nutshell: Whatever I see the Father do, I do. Whatever the Father tells me to say, I say. (John 5:19, 12:49-50) If Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, knew he needed to be in complete dependence on God, how can we not believe the same?
Kyle talked about this vital habit — Each of us needs a TAG Day or some Boss Time. A TAG Day is committing one day a month for Time Away with God. Boss Time can be shorter — a half day per month. And what is good for the goose is great for the gander, too! How about each spouse making appointments each month to cover the house, to allow the other spouse to get alone with God?
I’m going to start blocking in this time with the Father where there will be no cell phone, no emails, no distractions, just time to listen, time to get God’s marching orders, time to reap the Holy Spirit’s fruit and wisdom. I am going to try to become a better dancer, dancing between resting with God and working really hard, between Prayers of Faith and Strategic Planning. May God bless Veritas as we seek this together.
From the ACSI Leadership Conference in Prescott, your fellow servant-warrior, Christopher
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!