Weeper

I preached at our church yesterday. It didn't go as well as I had hoped, but I think I was obedient. That's not code for "I did the best I could," at least not in this case, because I really felt that I was supposed to do several things differently than we normally do them, and I did exactly what I felt I was supposed to do.

It just made things, well, different.

First off, I got the message that I was to tell the church that God loved them. Sounds so easy, right? I mean here, let me do it right now:"God loves you."

How hard was that? But from the moment I stood up to walk over to the pulpit, I was overwhelmed with God's love for the church - yes, your church, and this local church and this motley crew of individuals whom God wants to weld together into a powerful tool against the darkness which reigns in our communities. I got just a sliver, a tiny sliver at that, and it almost felt like a physical impact. I should have seen it coming: it happened first at around three in the morning when I was first hit by the idea to add that to the opening of my sermon. Sounded so easy - "be sure to tell them

THIS"

And a four-ton container of solid love-tronium landed on my chest.

So - the church was treated to a very different opening for their Sunday sermon: the speaker stood there and wept for a few minutes. I'm going to go get the digital recording later today - and most likely burn it - but I'll time it. It seemed like it took me about two weeks to actually get my first coherent word out... we'll see.

Other than that - I enjoyed the experience. What do I mean? I mean that I am one of those preachers who has to be hit by a message or I won't preach a message. If it doesn't move me first, I 'm not going to bother bringing it. So - I enjoyed hearing that, even though the enemy lies to us, we not only have the tools to know the truth, we have a powerful advocate who stands before the Father, interceding for us.

That, my friends, is cool.
Very cool.