Preaching because of the fire in the belly!

This past Sunday I returned to a former church to share in their yearlong celebration of their 50th Anniversary. I was fortunate to be the pastor during the 25th Anniversary so it was a good and joyful experience to be invited back to share in this rich time in their history. Besides, they were kind enough to offer me the opportunity to preach and they were very kind and gracious with their words of encouragement and gratitude. I continue to be amazed at what God does with what he has to work with!

I have to admit that there is nothing that I would rather do than to preach. The entire experience of preparation through delivery is when I am most alive spiritually … most connected to God and all things spiritual. I am a living testimony to the witness of Jeremiah as recorded in Chapter 20, verse 9: “But if I say, "Forget it! No more God-Messages from me!" The words are fire in my belly, a burning in my bones. I'm worn out trying to hold it in. I can't do it any longer!” (The Message).

My real struggle and the absolute hardest transition since retiring is not preaching as often as I would like to … that “fire in my belly” burns nearly every Sunday. Sitting in a congregation and simply listening is by the far the most difficult thing that I have to do. Actually I find myself “weeping” internally.

My prayer has been and is now growing ever stronger that God will use me more to “break the bread of life.” This blog was started as a feeble attempt to address that internal spiritual need I have to share the spiritual journey, but it isn’t the spoken word … a sermon is a living organism and is unlike any other expression of the inner soul.

As I am thankful for the opportunity that St. Paul UMC provided to me, it did affirm that God isn’t through with this messenger … at least not yet. I just haven’t discovered or God hasn’t revealed how he plans on using me in the work of the Kingdom … and so I wait for the revelation, praying for an answer to be forth coming.

Quote for today: The world does not need sermons; it needs a message. You can go to seminary and learn how to preach sermons, but you will have to go to God to get messages. Oswald J. Smith.