It's Not Right...Yet

On most Sundays, someone has chosen to listen to me speak.  Sobering.  A friend of mine reminded me years ago that more important than one sermon is the cumulative impact of preaching consistently, week-in-week-out to a gathered group of people hungry for a word from God.    True enough, but still, each Sunday, guys like me want to get it right each time you step up.

Saturday evenings can be unsettling.  You've studied, interpreted, focused, prayed, written, thought some more, edited, reworked...all of  the above and more.  Still, you hit the pillow just a bit uncertain.  Do I understand this passage of Scripture.  What is it saying?  How shall it be communicated?  And, so what?

In my case, sometimes it seems God Himself is not yet pleased.  So the Sunday morning bell rings earlier.  Like it did around 2:30 AM just yesterday.  You wake with a bit of a start, and as soon as the fog clears, there's an impression, or a quiet voice, or something unmistakable that communicates to your heart, "Say it differently.  It's not right...yet.  Get up.  Get it right."

Fortunately, God's Spirit will also tell you what needs to change.  For me, yesterday, it was essentially taking negatively stated truth/ideas from James 2:14-26 and stating them positively.  From "If your faith is not useful, it's dead" to "When Your Faith is More than Words, It is Useful."  

Personally, I was so glad for the change, because it is so easy to use the Word as a whip.  People generally know when they've fallen short.  In a holy place, their eyes stay lowered.  What they long for is a way to bring a smile to the heart of God.  And, they want a preacher who is more into helpful, useful encouragement than into producing guilt.

This Monday morning encouragement is for all of you who invest time somewhere, Sunday mornings, trying to get a word from God.  Hoping for help to get it right with Jesus through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.  Realize that your pastor/preacher often struggles to get it right too, and he needs God's help just as much as you do, if not more.   Thanks for praying for us who sometimes hear an early bell.

And remember, your life in Christ is grace-oriented, not guilt oriented.  Lift your head.  Talk to God without hesitation.  If your heart's affection for Jesus is growing, on most days, in most moments, your Father is thoroughly delighted with you.  He can use your faith in remarkable ways in a world that needs encouragement.