More often than not, I've walked around with the book of the Bible I'm preaching out of for weeks, having reacquainted myself with it. I've been through the Scriptures many times now in the 33 years I have been a follower of Jesus. That doesn't mean though, that the Scriptures are through with me.
When I'm going over what I hope to say the next morning, it sometimes finds me on the wrong end of the message. The power of the Scriptures cannot be directed, only unleashed. And if he's honest, many preachers find that the real "Saturday Night Special" takes place within their hearts as they realize again the awesome task of working for God in preaching His Word.
Annie Dillard writes, "Does anyone have the foggiest idea of what sort of power we so blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does no one believe a word of it? The churches are children playing on the floor with their chemistry sets, mixing up a batch of TNT to kill a Sunday morning. It is madness to wear ladies' straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews."BOOM! It could happen tomorrow! Revival could occur, the church could rise up and live out its calling. The gospel is dangerous!
And do we who pastor God's people realize what we are called to be? Here's what stopped me cold tonight.
Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you. Phil 4:9 (NLT)Not just with words, but with our very lives, we are to preach the good news of Jesus.
Lord have mercy. May you be glorified as your servants give all they have for you tomorrow, and may they never cease to cling to You. For Your power is made perfect in weakness.
Amen and amen.
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