Each and every Sunday is special to me but this past Sunday was about as close to perfect as you can get without being exactly that – perfect. Let me give some highlights to my Sunday this past weekend:
It all started with church at E-Free here in Gaylord, Michigan. It is always so spiritually invigorating to worship with my church family. And I love preaching at E-Free. We are currently in a series from Galatians 5 as we are learning what it means to “walk by the Spirit.” This Sunday I gave a whirlwind overview of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer and what it means to follow the Biblical commands to not grieve or quench the Holy Spirit. These are all things we must have a handle on if we are going to grasp what it means to “walk by the Spirit.”
It was also a delight to spend some time after the service with Jeff Vance, a friend from back in Pennsylvania who is also a fellow Ohio State Buckeye fan. In fact, one time he and I left on a Saturday morning from Lititz, PA and drove all the way to Columbus, OH for a prime time nationally televised football game when the Buckeyes played the Texas Longhorns. We then drove back all night long getting home just in time to grab a shower and be at church in time to preach. It was great to see Jeff again and to give him a tour of our church.
The afternoon was then spent in wonderful fashion at our Worship Arts Ministry picnic. These are the folks that make our services happen each Sunday. Most of them work behind the scenes and get very little fanfare. It was wonderful to spend the afternoon relaxing and enjoying this very special group of people. It was also very cool to watch the bald eagle flying overhead as we enjoyed the weather and the fellowship.
The afternoon ended with a surprise phone call from Jim and Sue Bitner. Jim pastors a church back in Pennsylvania and was a very encouraging friend to me during a very hurtful time of ministry. Sue was the English teacher for both of our kids in High School and also the drama coach for the different plays and productions that they were part of in their High School career. She made a huge impact on my kids, especially on my son. They were passing through the area so we met them at the church and were able to catch up a little bit with them and to give them a tour of our facility as well.
The evening was just as good. Our daughter, Joy, got home safe from the Disaster Relief Trip that she was part of with a group from our church down in Joplin, MO where the heat index was reaching 120 degrees during their week of work and ministry. I am so glad she was able to have this great experience and even more glad to have her back home. Now she has one month left to get ready for her first year of teaching at Otsego Christian School.
And then, of course, there was the opportunity to catch different aspects of the Olympics! I am thoroughly enjoying these games. Go USA!
What a great day Sunday was – morning, afternoon and evening! But yet, it was just short of perfect! The only thing that would have made it perfect is if before the clock struck midnight, the Lord Himself would have returned with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ would have been raised first followed by those of us who were alive and remaining being raptured up to meet the Lord in the air to spend eternity always with Him!
Now that would have made it a perfect day! Oh, well, maybe tomorrow!
1 comment:
Some of my family members and myself have been posting "The Good News" on our Facebook home page. Between all of us, I figure we reach well over 800 people each time we post a verse from the Bible which touches us in someway that particular day. Invariably, at least one person comments positively with a comment of how they "needed" that reminder or sometimes just an "Amen". And who knows how many are curious and open their Bibles that day to "hear" more of the Good News.
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