A Knee Knocking Experience

Today was my first day as the pastor of Midway UMC (Wedowee).  I got there early hoping for a little bit of time to sit and reflect before the service began only to find that the sanctuary is used for adult Sunday School.  The class was taught by W.C. and it was a great one.  After listening to the teacher share homilies, scripture, love, and concern I found myself feeling very much at home.  Thank you Mr. W.C. for having a hand in calming the raging storm within me.  I had planned to sing and preach...you know...give them a full dose of who I am.  The Children's Minute was about letting their little lives shine for Jesus.  There a lot of children here and they all have the sweetest faces.  After Time with Children I stepped behind the podium to present God's word to the people.  Now let me tell you this did not come easy for me.  God and I wrestled over what I would be saying.  Saturday night late I finally "Let Go and Let God" trusting it would all work out.  The song I began with was "Broken and Spilled Out" and as the music keyed my vocal entrance I felt as if a hand was upon my throat...choking the air from my lungs.  It was frightening.  Some would call this a major panic attack....I felt as if it was Satan trying to silence me.  I finally coughed and the song just came out of my mouth.  It was definitely a God Thing.  My sermon came from Luke and the Lectionary.  I have never used one but thought as a beginning pastor it might be the way to go.  I wanted to use any of the three other scripture choices given...but for some reason Luke 9:51-62 was God's choice.  I began the sermon and realized  after reading it throught once that it did not have any major bells and whistles to keep the congregation glued to their seats.  I muttered to God...."Oh come on....the least you could do is give me something profound to say."  God responded back with ...."read it again, please."  I did...and it was as if a light bulb came on.  This sermon was going to be about three types of Christians....who were all me at one time or another in my life.  I saw myself in every person Jesus met on the road.  My fingers flew fast and furious across the keyboard of the computer as God wrote his message for me....my lifesong.  Before I knew it we were singing the closing hymn and the service was over.  I found myself asking...."where did the time go?"  The final prayer was spoken and church was over.  I was officially a preacher with my own church.  Definitely a God Thing.