Dear Ones,
Hope your day is one of openness to the Holy Spirit. Al will be preaching next door this morning and I plan to make cookies and have exercise class, crafts and Bible Study. Ann and Leif may be stopping by also.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
How many sermons have you listened to in your life? We may not remember the points of a sermon, but hopefully we are being shaped by the Word that is preached for it is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12) and able to judge even the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. Being a pastor’s wife, I have listened to almost all of my husband’s sermons and know the hours he spent each week in his study preparing. His were always fresh and came from what he sensed God wanted him to say for that particular time. I never knew what he was going to preach or if he would use the family in his sermon!

I recently read from Gerald Sittser’s book about Martin Luther who often peached three times on Sunday (5 a.m. and 10 a.m., and one in the afternoon) plus three or four times during the week and other special days of the church year. John Calvin averaged preaching 240 times a year. That is a lot of preparation, plus meeting needs within the congregation. Back in their day, preaching was central and held in a place of prominence. Both preached extemporaneously and didn’t read from a script. Today a pastor’s life is taken up with many other expectations from the congregation to meet needs of the youth, teach Sunday school, counsel those with problems, participate in the community, meet the needs within their families, etc. Some are left with little time to spend just seeking what the Lord would have them preach.

We might also ask ourselves if we take the Word seriously, study it, believe it, trusting that it is a Word from God for us and that it is the Word of God. He has chosen to reveal Himself to us through His Word, and the Holy Spirit helps us understand what God is saying. We need to make the Word our own by reading it and applying it to our lives. We also need to listen to the Word being preached with the sense that it is a word from God, not I wonder how long the sermon will be! Importantly, we are to apply the word to our lives and live it out in our world. May we really know that Jesus is the Word of God who came to reveal God and make us right with God.

Challenge for today: Pray before reading the Word and before going to church, that you will be open to hear God’s word to you.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy