It always interests me to see how God’s message has been offered for others in complete unawareness of ourselves. I also experience this the most when a sermon has been particularly ‘too easy to write’. That is, I have had experiences, and Joe’s profession sermon was one of them, where whilst I’ve given time to sit with the readings and be open to how God speaks through scripture, I’ve sat down to write it began to feel like I was forcing something to happen. In the end it seems like the spirit takes over or something and before I know it a few pages of text are in front of me; feeling as though I’ve given it no thought at all and feeling (like in the case in point) that I’ve not given it enough quality of thought and preparation.

However, as seems to have happened in this case, people have made a concerted effort to write me and offer their appreciation for the way in which the sermon has touched them in a real and personal way. I think it only goes to prove the point I wrote earlier; often the hardest part is not the preparation of the writing of the sermon but the hardest part is the willingness to put ourselves aside and allow God to be the one who uses us to reach God’s people.

For many of you who have offered thanks and appreciation may I extend mine back to you. I’m pleased to hear God continues to work in our lives to reveal the things we need to hear regardless of of how the deliverer of the sermon judges it. Another case of letting go, letting God. Words to live by but hard to live.