But you need to realize that no one alone can understand any of the prophecies in the Scriptures. The prophets did not think these things up on their own, but they were guided by the Spirit of God.” (I Peter 1:20-21 Contemporary English Version)
I had parked my truck in the Dental School parking lot. I was early and there was no need to rush. I didn’t back into the parking spot, which seems to be the trend nowadays. I pulled in! I went through my checklist. Parking sticker on the mirror, check. Truck turned off, check. Lights turned off, check. No valuable items were left on the seats that might entice someone to break in the car, check. My emergency brake did not work, so I made sure I was parked in first gear, not neutral, to keep the car from rolling, check. With the checklist completed, I go in and spend the expected, normal, two hours in the torture seat, er I mean the dental chair. When all is completed, I head to my truck. About two rows north of where I park, I see a truck that looks just like mine, same color, and everything. That’s not all I see. I see a policeman taking information from a couple of people. As I get closer, I hear the policeman calling for a tow truck. He is joined by a university police officer. As I get even closer, guess what? It was my truck! Somehow it had jumped out of first gear and went into neutral. Parked on a slight incline, gravity did the rest. At least, I guess that was the case, and the car slowly moved, hitting the couple’s car. I had to face it! They, the city policemen and the university police officer, they came for me.
Look I know it’s Saturday, so let me make this meaningful to you. Tomorrow you will hear more than one word come from the pulpit, sent specifically by God through a specific messenger or messengers, for a specific purpose. I should tell you, I said “or messengers” because at our church, we have a minister who starts off worship, and a layperson who does a seven-to ten-minute Teaching Emphasis. Each one has a specific word that fits into God’s special dialogue with the congregation for that particular Sunday. Isn’t God marvelous? The listening congregation, including you, should gladly receive God’s words as they are spoken. But let’s be real. Sometimes, attendees think that the words being spoken are for somebody else; somebody who really, really, needs them. Let me tell you something. God is speaking directly to all, including you, and you will benefit from listening and applying the words sent from above. So tomorrow, face it! They, the spoken words in this case, they came for you! He that has ears, let Him hear; hear to the point that growth takes place and thus you will be better in letting the Christ be revealed in us. I’m done for today, but I need to close with a verse that I have often used on Saturday mornings. Read it! Face it! They (the words in the verse below) came for you! Have a great day! Be blessed!“
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:23-25 NASB)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King