Am I Too Heavy?

Physically: Yes. (There, I answered it. You don't have to.)

In my preaching: I don't know.

When I look at my preaching lately, I don't know that there is an element of celebration and joy. Not every message needs to be laughs and giggles, but the object of preaching is a great and glorious God, isn't it?

And here is the tension. When preaching, we should seek to present God in His glory...that should be a weighty topic. The glory of God revealed in the face of Christ (the gospel) is weighty. So how do I preach God's Word, with redemption as the primary thread, with weight? In my finitude, it seems weight often makes it hard do so with joy and celebration. But God is wonderful, and the weight of His glory should also be celebrated!

It's quite humbling. I remember preaching as a youth intern, with very little prep and very little focus. I didn't find it necessary to present the gospel within my hermanuetic, nor to present God gloriously. Yet, I finished every sermon thinking I did a great job.

Now, after years of training and practice, I don't think I've recently preached a message that I thought went well. I finish with an overwhelming feeling that I have not done God's glory, the text, or even its application proper justice.

Please pray for me. As I officially moved into the Teaching Pastor position this month, I have been reminded more and more of my inadequacy. I truly feel it is a task I am not capable of, yet I am confident it is a calling I have received. Therefore, I must depend on Him to provide me the grace to accomplish that which He has called me to do. Pray I stay out of His way so that He can do it.