Ten Paces

 It was not a long stroll. Just a few short paces. Ten steps to be exact. It only took a few short seconds to get to my destination. In those seconds, time seemed frozen. I had an encounter with God that seemed to last much longer and moved me profoundly. Is that even possible? Can God really come and interact with a person in a significant encounter in just ten steps? He did me. 

Let me set the backdrop. The morning started out busy. I went from one thing to the next, to the next, with very little down time in between. My mind raced with all I had going on and those matters I still had before me. Thoughts bounced around inside my head like a pinball in a pinball machine. The day was jam packed with appointments and responsibilities. 

When I arose to keep my next appointment and strode those ten steps, God came and met me. He settled me. He overwhelmed me with peace and gratitude. I find it hard to capture the experience into words.

Those ten paces were from the front pew to the pulpit in the Spring Creek sanctuary. In the middle of that walk, God met me. The thought flashed across my mind how grateful I was to be in that place, making that short walk to stand behind that pulpit. I thought back to thirty years ago when I stood behind that pulpit on occasion to preach in Brother Bob's absence. I almost wanted to pinch myself hardly able to believe that God lets me serve as pastor of this great church. Gratitude washed over me like water from a shower. I silently thanked God for choosing me to serve here. In a way, I still find it hard to believe. It has been a year and a half since we began our pastoral ministry here. 

I sit amazed that God could do all of that in ten short paces. I did not time it, but I think the whole journey could not have lasted longer than five seconds. I laid my Bible open on that familiar pulpit and bowed to pray. If that congregation could have know the love and gratitude in my heart for our God and for them as a flock. They could not possibly know the trill I experience when I walk into the sanctuary and behind that pulpit to minister the word of God. Contentment washes over me like a waterfall even writing this. 

Spring Creek is a great church. We are not large but growing. We are not rich but well provided for. We are not pretentious just salt of the earth, hard working, warm hearted folks. Out of the tens of thousands of preachers in the world, God chose me to serve here. How humbling and how thankful I am to get to be a part of the miracle He is doing here. 

I wish I could always have profound God encounters in ten short paces. I do not take this church for granted nor what God is doing here. Brenda and I are truly blessed. All of those emotions flooded my heart and mind as I walked across the floor and mounted the three steps to stand behind the pulpit. 

Even as I write this, the thought crosses my mind, "I can't believe I am in Brother Bob Harper's office surrounded by the numerous volumes God has blessed me with on the shelves. Right above me is the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit by Charles Spurgeon. Above and to the left are the Martin Luther, A.W. Tozer and George W. Truett book sets. What a blessing. What a blessed life. What an encounter with God in just ten paces. I have a grateful heart.