He Did It Again

 I had just finished teaching a class and walked into the sanctuary. There was an elderly couple sitting on the back pew in the middle section. This is their spot. They have been faithful members for decades. I approached them from the pew ahead of theirs to gladly greet them. We talked for a few moments when I noticed the wife wiping tears from her eyes. She is battling many things that are testing her faith and resolve. I walked from in front of them and knelt behind her and whispered a verse to encourage her. 

I should have seen it coming, but I have to confess that I did not. I went to the front pew where Brenda and sit in worship. We started the service and just as I was getting into the music a thought flashed across my mind. I knew the message I prepared was not the right one for that service. God wanted me to preach the passage I shared with the lady in the back. I had not prepared to preach that passage. I was facing my own crisis of belief. 

The Spring Creek people are used to this by now. It happens several times each year. I will sit in the middle of worship when I become convinced that God has a totally different message than the  I studied for earlier in the week. It is not like I don't pray about these messages. Sometimes I am preaching through books of the Bible. Sometimes it might be a series through a certain section of scriptures. In either case, there are times when God choose to hide His intended message until we are in the worship service. He has done this for a couple of decades. I have learned not to ignore this, but to go with God. 

Only God inspires and gives me what to say. At the end of a message on faith and hope, I brought up our music minister. He has requested several upgrades he needs in instruments and equipment. I asked him in front of the congregation what he needed. He told us each of the items. I asked if he knew how much it would cost. He thought about $3,000. I asked the congregation to pray asking God to meet this need. We did not pass an offering plate and play on people's emotions. Turned out we did not need to do so. 

Within 20 minutes of the service ending, our worship minister received a phone call informing him that the need would be met fully. The person who called was not even in the service but watched from home. You have not because you ask not. God did it again. He spoke a word that He only revealed in the service. He met a need that we have spent six months trying to accomplish on our own. He did it again. If we keep trusting Him and offering up believing prayers, He will keep doing it over and over again. What an encouraging day we enjoyed. God can do anything. All things are possible to Him. Nothing is impossible for Him. He can do more than we can even ask or dream. Let's trust Him to keep doing it again.