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Acts 13: 15 After reading from the Law and
the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you
have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak.” (NIV)
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It’s not about being at the right place at the right time but rather about being prepared when the time arrives.* |
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Paul and his traveling companions dropped in at the synagogue
in the town they were visiting when this happened: “Oh, look. Out-of-town
guests. Come on up and speak some words of encouragement for the people!” Most
of us do not like being put on the spot like that. Finding yourself in the
spotlight and unprepared can cause you to freeze like – well, a deer in the
headlights! This kind of thing used to happen to my husband often. It wasn’t so bad when, as City Manager, someone would
ask him to speak off the cuff about the state of the City because that was information that
was always stored in his mind. But one time he was asked to say a few words at
the funeral of the wife of one of his employees. He had never met the woman!
One Sunday morning, I got to witness my preacher do a masterful job of
improvising in much the same way that Paul did on this occasion in the Book of
Acts. Just before the first service, word was received that a
young woman from our church had died, leaving a husband and two small
daughters. She was very active in several areas of ministry, including
children’s, women’s, and music, so she was well-known by many. Instead of
preaching the sermon he had prepared, Jim stepped up and delivered a message of
comfort and hope to a stunned congregation.
My thoughts that morning as I listened to the impromptu message are a
truth about my preacher, about Paul, and about all of us: It can’t come out of
you if it’s not already in there.
In Matthew 12: 35, Jesus says that the good man brings good
things out of the good stored up in him. Nowhere in scripture are we promised
that the Spirit will bring to mind things that we never knew. He won’t help us
pass a test we didn’t study for. If we want to “be prepared in season and out
of season,” (II Timothy 4: 2) then we must do our best to present ourselves to
God as one who “correctly handles the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2: 15) |
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Out of a heart well kept will flow . . . good products, to the glory of God and the edification of others.* |
So beautiful Connie, thank you!
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