Do you ever find yourself overwhelmed? Do you ever have those times when it seems that God just gets hold of your mind and heart and drives something home to you? That’s what Sunday was for me. It just seemed everything was aimed at my heart. The Sunday School lesson, the services, the music, conversations before and after services. It all seemed orchestrated. It’s funny, I studied all week. I worked for several hours again on Saturday. My lesson was ready. Both sermons were firmly fixed in my mind and heart. And yet in the midst of the messages I got new insight and it seemed repeatedly I heard the whisper, “That’s for you.â€
Now, that could be very discouraging. I mean Sunday morning’s message was a call to personal holiness while Sunday evening was about the need for reformation or revival. It’s not that I’m living a “double life†and have some great sin for which I must atone; the danger is more subtle than that. It is the reminder that you can be outwardly clean, busy about spiritual things and your heart be completely removed. It is that you can “do church†and yet not be attentive to the needs of others; insensitive to what is going on around you; and neglectful of fellowship. I didn’t sleep well Sunday night. I got up early this morning. I’m still thinking things through. I’m grateful for the discomfort. It means there’s still hope.
Father,
Thank you for the sting of conviction. Thank you for loving me enough to prick my conscience and reminding me of the wickedness of my heart. Grant grace today Father to not ignore your pleading and yield to your hand of correction. Amen.
I’ll see you Sunday.
Rod