I was just sitting there...

…watching a volleyball game at Glynn Academy in Brunswick GA, what a match by the way. The two teams were tied most of the game. It was to say the least very exciting. I have not watched volleyball in a very long time, in person not on TV. I don’t know the rules and how the game is scored. I also could not see the scoring table because of the judge at the net blocking my view. In fact it was four games later that I caught a glimpse of the score board. Then I moved a foot or two along the bleachers so I could see the score during the game.

I was just sitting there when suddenly I was overwhelmed with the answer. Let me go back further in the progression of the story. Each week my delight and dread is to prepare something to preach Sunday morning. I dread it because I want it to be interesting, smart, well presented and well…all the good things we look for in a speaker especially in the “preacher.” The delight is I get to research and learn and then do that. This week I have been circling stories that reveal Jesus from the Gospels. I had settled on the story of the healing of the demon possessed man from Mark 5:1-20, the one with the crazy guy living in the tombs cutting, hurting and screaming at himself and anyone who dared to get close.  In a book I am reading as of late the author suggests some stories that the town folk probably told of him. Stories that grow into legends about who and why he was like he was.  You can probably fill in the blanks to the story from your childhood of a building, house or person close to your neighborhood. So, I had read the story and been thinking through it sifting what was there.

 Each week as I prepare to preach I ask myself two questions. One “So what?” meaning why should we know this? What difference will it make on Monday? Secondly and more importantly, “God what do you want to say?” I had asked these questions and up until that moment had no answer except that was the story. I cannot say I was consciously thinking about the situation. I was watching the game and unexpectedly was overwhelmed by the answer like a flood of emotion and relief enveloped me from head to foot right there in the bleacher. I instantly knew and understood what God had to say from this story. Now, I just have to say it and that can be difficult as well. My experience with God is like that. The answers come while something completely unrelated is happening. Is that true of you?

I have come to trust God to answer my requests. I trust him to answer when he wants to on his time schedule. At times, regarding preaching, that has been just an hour before I was to deliver my part, other times it is days ahead (which of course is a relief) but always on time and very clearly. In this area (not others yet) I can ask with complete faith. It helps that God has never failed to answer. My prayer is without unbelief because I have believed my prayer.

Yep, I was just sitting there watching a volleyball game. That is where God spoke answering my prayer and clearly giving his word. The Word from God is what’s important not the time or place or activity. That must always be clear. It is too easy to get sidetracked by the event and place.

That’s the way God does stuff!  

His time!

His place!

His purpose!

    

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

P.S. the word is he continued to ask his name! You will have to listen to the message to hear the rest of the story (thank you Paul Harvey). You can do that at www.crosroadschurcheff.org click on sermons.