Joyful Preaching

2012

Joyful, joyful, I am so joyful today. The world is spinning on it’s axis as always, the sun came up and went down as usual and the stars and moon came out, all as it did yesterday, the day before that etc to the beginning of time, to the beginning of the creation.

Why so joyful today, because I am reminded of what Jesus did and is doing and will do. I listened to a beautiful sermon today that came straight from the heart of a true evangelist. He filled us with the astonishing things God has done, as the Father, as the Son and as the Spirit. It was a true honour to be in the presence of this instrument of God’s love. What a privilege! What an experience!

There was a time in my church life when I would go on a Sunday to be seeped in God’s word and then it would dissipate over the week until bible study on Wednesday and then that would get me to Sunday. If I was still in that place, a sermon like this would possibly get me to the next week.

I am not in that place anymore, I spend time with God every day, not just in study but in fellowship and love. I don’t have to go to church on a Sunday to be with God, he lives inside me and I live in him, I go to church on a Sunday to worship him, to publically proclaim his glory, to share in corporate worship of our Lord, as the Jews in the Old Testament travelled to the Temple so I travel to chapel.

Do I prepare to meet him? The rituals of old are gone, but do we take time to be still and be in the presence? Do I take time to prepare? When a was a wee new Christian, I came to church early, prayed and read a psalm or two depending on how late the service started. Today someone wanted to talk to me before the service and I had no time, I was preparing the smooth running for the preacher, checking that all the praise team knew when to start, when to get up and sit down – the practicalities of stuff. I don’t get time to be still and because this struck me as important, I left the mike went down on my knees and prayed whilst he last song was being checked.

How, in the future I am going to find time to be still with my God before the service, I’m not sure, will have to think about it because I am essentially a Mary and a reluctant Martha.