Always humbling

In the life of a preacher, there is nothing more humbling and satisfying than to be used by the LORD. Everytime I have the opportunity to preach I walk into that pulpit with every intention of seeing someone saved. In the hours spent studying for a sermon, every effort is put into trying to draw even the tiniest detail out of the Scriptures in hopes that the LORD will work through the message and into the hearts of the people. Unless you are a preacher, you may not understand the emotions that run rampant throughout the discourse of a sermon. By the time it's over and done with you are emotionally drained and feeling pretty much defeated.

Pastor Dave asked me last Wednesday night if I would preach this Sunday. Of course I am always eager for a chance and gladly accepted. I immediately began praying and seeking for what the LORD would have me preach. Sometimes the message will come to me quickly but other times it is an excruciating time of waiting. This was one of those times of waiting. Thursday night I studied and prayed for several hours. Friday night the same thing, staying up until 2:30 a.m. trying to get answers. Finally on Saturday afternoon I had that awesome feeling of chills running through me as I read through the Book of Matthew. There in Chapter 15 was a Gentile woman without any hope, begging for Jesus to heal her daughter from demon possession. I tried to put myself in the woman's shoes and how she must have felt, being so hopeless and going to such great extremes as to barge in on Jesus and his disciples as they were trying to rest from the weariness of the ministry.

Six hours later, my eyes were burning and watering and I could barely hold my head up, I needed sleep. I went to bed on Saturday night totally exhausted. I woke up at 4:30 am on Sunday morning and all I could think about was the message. I tip-toed into the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee while I gathered my Bible, computer, and a few commentaries. After an hour or so, I felt more at peace with the message and the outline I had written for it and decided to just lay down on the couch and try to take a nap before time to go to church.

By the time Sunday evening rolled around, I was rip roaring and ready to go. I could hardly contain the excitement that I felt as I stepped behind the pulpit. I opened my mouth and let the Words come out as the LORD had given them to me. Sometimes when you preach, you notice a few people that are occupied with different things, I usually take my glasses off when I preach so I can't see the details of people's faces, this seems to help some. Last night it seemed that everyone in the church was paying attention. All heads were up and faces were fixed forward. The feeling of the Holy Spirit was so thick I could almost reach out and touch it. Nothing I had done, mind you, but just the presence of the LORD coming forth from the spoken and written Word.

As I prayed and gave an invitation I just had a feeling that there were some in the congregation that needed to make decisions. As I saw a man make his way down to the altar and heard the cries and shouts of his wife, I had the most humbling feeling, knowing that the LORD had used me one more time to be his mouthpiece. The hours of studying, praying, and agonizing over the message are always worth it. Even if no one responds, I know the LORD is in it and it's for a reason.

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Matthew 15:21-28 (King James Version)

21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.

27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.

28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.