Not My _____, but God's

Thirty years ago, Tuesday, I preached my first sermon. February 2, 1992, marked the beginning of what is now a thirty-year journey (and counting). I am thankful for Pastor Russell Dixon who pastored the church where I served as Minister to Students for inviting me to preach once a month. As one who loves to preach, I came to understand how selfless Russell's action was; he shared the platform.

Thankfully, I was taught from before "go" to "respect the pulpit." I prepared to preach on that first Sunday in February with a mixture of fear and reverence. (Those often go hand-in-hand.) It's not that I needed to get it right or do a good job; I needed to bring honor to God who takes His written Word very seriously. The words of Paul to Timothy came to my mind.

---

2 Timothy 4:2 (NIV)
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

As I walked up on stage and stood behind the pulpit (as I used to do), I confessed with these exact words . . .

"When I started thinking about writing my sermon, there was something wrong. Nothing would come to mind. The problem was in my last two sentences . . . the word 'my'. I realized, after much prayer, that indeed it was not my sermon; but God's."

Thirty years later, I keep that pre-first-sermon realization in mind. So should you. Not my __________, but God's applies beyond preachers. God, remember, wants your everyday, ordinary life, your whole life. Keep that in mind.

#ordinarylives