A Front Row Seat

Every so often God allows us a front row seat to His marvelous and mysterious ways. I've had the privilege of being in the front twice recently. A couple months ago my husband preached his first sermon. The church we attend makes dvds of every service and offers them for sale. We certainly weren't buying them and handing them out - except at the threat of our daughter who did get a copy.

But tonight my husband got a phone call from a family member who told him that another family member got a copy of the dvd and that they got it from so and so and so and so. And on the story went. For a wide variety of reasons, we didn't tell any of them that he was preaching or that he had. Interestingly enough all of the people who either watched it or got a copy would never have set foot in church at this point in their life. One of them that we are certain watched (or will watch) the dvd would have only watched it out of curiosity because he knew my husband way back "when". He might have watched it so that he could make fun, but the Word of God is living and active and will accomplish what God desires and achieve the purposes for which God sent it. (Isaiah 55:11) The other people we know that told us they watched it also were not going to probably set foot in our church to hear the Word of God. But God has a purpose. It's His Word and it will go forth as He intended.

My husband preached the word that God gave him. How easy to think that it was for someone in the sanctuary that day. How like God to have the purpose of Kenny's preaching be for someone outside the walls of the church building who needed to hear it and this would be the only way they would.

I don't know God's purposes and I won't pretend that I do. However, I love imagining all the various possible scenarios and the whys and hows and what-ifs. Sometimes God allows me the front row seat so that I will stop thinking within the confines of my finite mind. The front row seat allows me to see a God who is bigger and grander and more powerful than I could ever hope to imagine.

It is His Word for His purposes for His people in His time in His way. May we never sell God's power and work short of all that he intends it for. So in case you are thinking that so and so will never set foot in church and hear the word of God or the message of salvation, think again. God can send his word out any way and any time He chooses. You can count on that.