Last sunday, I was in my motorhome at a (beautiful) Country festival near Basel. At 9.35, the Iphone rang: "Reinhold, we are waiting for you - aren't you preaching here today?" Wow - a mild shock, but nothing could be done about it. I asked them - and prayed for - a church meeting in their own responsability and without a preacher.
Here is what the leader in charge wrote me afterwards: " I still have to smile, thinking back of yesterday... I had prepared for a comfortable morning with my teenagers, the church for a comfortable meeting with a good sermon, powerful worship time and a nice child's blessing... Suddenly, unrest in church: where is Reinhold the preacher? All eyes on me - first thought: do I have a sermon in stock? Many foreign visitors and strangers - what can I offer? But then, a new thought: What does God want????
During the worship, we talk things through quickly. Then I call together my teens and tell them that the program has changed: every one should think of "what can I give to the Church today"?...
After worship time, there is room for testimonies and inputs now. I was afraid - what will come, a spiritual salad? But the church meeting took a surprising dimension and was everything else than a salad....
Suddenly, a 18 year old girl stood in the pulpit, sobbing, tears running: she tells how she is in a desert experience with God right now - a testimony that still rings in my bones a day later. Me, her Christian parents and the rest of the community - we are deeply moved, tears flowing freely everywhere. And the testimony did not end with "God helped, everything's well" - God lets her stand where she is. It seemed to me that so many people of our church are at the same point, but a 18 year old, pious girl dares to speak it out.
Reinhold, pity you were not there, but our church has learnt a lesson yesterday in a deeply impressive way. Whoever expected a comfortable Sunday morning was bitterly "disappointed" :) Finally: you will still be welcome to your next sermon ..."
Wow. How good it is when God takes control. And how much more we should let Him... By the way, the fault wasn't mine ...:-)
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