The Bee Sting

For me, a pastor, every Sunday morning is like a Super Bowl, over and over, 52 times a year.  No pressure huh?

I spend all week, praying and preparing for my responsibilities as pastor of an amazing community church. 

So today, I am all fired up, prepared to follow God’s lead. 

I get to church and the first thing I notice is, a small hole in the upholstery in one of our new chairs.  So I packed it to our storage shed until I can get it fixed. 

As I walk up to the storage shed, a “bald faced hornet” attacked and stung me below my left eye.  I am partially allergic to bee stings and my face started swelling up.  I noticed my eye starting to swell shut so I went home and took a couple Benadryl.   

If anything will destroy your focus and take off the edge, it is Benadryl.  Granted, the swelling stopped and the pain subsided, but I became so sleepy, putting one foot in front of the other was a chore. 

So when it came time for me to stand up and preach, I was so loopy on Benadryl that everything was a blur.

In fact, I couldn’t quote Scripture or complete a thought.  After a few minutes into the sermon, God reminded me of 2 Corinthians 9-10:

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need.

My power works best in weakness.”
So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ can work through me.
 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses,
and in the insults, hardships, persecutions,
 and troubles that I suffer for Christ.
For when I am weak, then I am strong”

I am sure is was apparent to God’s Saints today that I was struggling, but they were gracious and God was able to work ~ in spite of my efforts. 

On Sunday mornings, God DRAWS people to our church building.  He DRAWS them so He can address whatever need they have.  Some need encouragement, some need comfort, some need healing, some need correction, the needs cover a wide spectrum but one thing is sure, every person that is humble and honest before God, will come away blessed. 

“Come close to God,
and God will come close to you.
Wash your hands, you sinners;
purify your hearts,
for your loyalty is divided
between God and the world.”
James 4:8

And for clarification, God blesses people, in spite of my efforts, not because of my efforts.  And today was a wonderful example of God touching lives and DRAWING people closer to Him.

I am praying for you…. Pastor Shane