The other day I was preparing for a sermon. In my research I ran across a phrase which continues to run through my mind. I’ve begun to mold it to form my next series of sermons. And I would love to have you thoughts or comments on what your first thought would be.
“We need to eat the meat of the Word of God, drink the fresh water of worship, and feast on the fruit of prayer.”
Five headed under today.
The stories of their lives were all unique. Those who encouraged them to head under said much the same things but with different emphases.
The main thread? God has called you to this next step – enjoy and live what God calls you to.
The baptisms were great! Hopefully more to follow.
For me, the excitement is building. Today I visited with three families who will join us for the baptisms. One is a good friend of one of the candidates. Another is just new to the church and “dunking” is an exciting thing. The other family has known the candidates for years. What a cross-section of those who will be here.
And that’s what excites me. There will be family, and friends and new acquaintances and even people we probably don’t even know. All to hear five people talk about their center in their lives – Jesus. In a world that is more often than not focused on themselves, this focus on Jesus is both unusual and yet uniquely outstanding.
Come if you can – 11:00 tomorrow morning!
Edna had all the wrong cards in life. I did not hear much of her younger days other than that they were abusive, her marriage less than ideal. Her husband died of cancer, her daughter committed suicide and her son is in jail. She did not endear herself to others and lived a lonely life.
I crossed her path when her son began to come to church. Unfortunately his addictive nature and habits overtook his searching. In the midst of this I met his mother.
She never attended church. She had lived enough of life to be suspicious of others. She tended to reject a God of love.
These last few weeks, as she lay in hospital dying of cancer, I talked to her of heaven. Not a lot. At first she scoffed.
I’d like to say that she came to see Jesus as the doorway to heaven. I’m not sure. Perhaps I was not as direct in speaking to her as I would have liked. Perhaps I thought she had more time. Perhaps I cannot change a person’s mind.
Only God can.
Only God can touch the deepest, inmost parts of a person. The closest I come to that person’s inner sanctuary is by prayer to God on their behalf. And so for these last few days I have been praying.
For Edna, that she would come to Jesus, the doorway to God and to eternal life.
Edna died yesterday. Her time for decision is past – those prayers are finished.
But a new prayer has been birthing in my own heart. God is giving to me a greater desire to tell others about Jesus. God is calling me to have more God-chats with others. God is pointing out to me that, while I cultivate a relationship with others, I need to be simple, direct and understandable as I talk to them of God and Jesus and life.
From Edna’s death I sense a Spring of new life emerging!