As a pastor, there’s probably nothing more disappointing than finding out someone has been in the hospital but has already gone home before I could visit. Or that someone really wants to talk to me but hasn’t reached out to say so. It happens sometimes, and I’m sure it’ll keep happening, but I don’t have to like it--and I want you to know that I don’t!
Taking care of folks is literally my first calling in this work. It’s built into my title and my Letter of Call. I will drop everything to come see you, when I know where you are and that you want a visit. I am never too busy for that. Occasionally, I am too sick for that, or I’m with my family at that moment, or it’s my day off. But in a day or two I’ll probably be feeling better.Or later that day I’ll be able to slip away. And tomorrow definitely won’t be my day off (that would be Friday). And in the meantime we can pray together over the phone. I generally hate talking on the phone, but I love praying for folks by phone or text, even via Facebook when the circumstances present.
So please call, text, or email. That information is always on top of the weekly announcement sheet. And if you absolutely don’t want a visit, please make that clear. My assumption: if you’re in the hospital and I know which one, you probably want to see your pastor. If you’ve been sick but are now home, I assume you’re too busy taking care of yourself to want to see your pastor. But sometimes those assumptions are wrong, so please tell me.
If you’re hoping God will tell me when you need a visit, I’m sorry--we’re close, but God and I don’t have that kind of relationship! If you’re hoping folks will notice when you’re absent--they probably have! Indeed, there’s a good chance I’ve asked after you and know a little bit about what’s going on, and tried to call but got a busy signal, or sent an email and never heard back.
So if you’re counting on me to follow up, I’m afraid that sometimes I’m going to disappoint you. But not because I’m too busy or doing something else that’s more important, because there’s nothing that’s more important to me than helping you take care of yourself: physically, emotionally and, of course, spiritually.
This is especially important as we enter into the season of Lent. Am I busier over the next six weeks? You bet. Will I be really, really tired at the end of those six weeks? No doubt. Am I going into this season as rested and ready as I’d like? Of course not. But too busy to talk or visit? Never. May the same God who gave me this calling also make you bold to reach out when you need to.
