sighing and groaning

So I'm preaching on Sunday, three times in fact, but using two different sermons. Phew.

To be honest, I am really struggling. I haven't been lazy. I haven't neglected to prepare. But I feel so overwhelmed by the immensity of the (Sunday morning) topic that it is swallowing me up. I just can't seem to get a clear angle. Need to pray more I guess. I need to the Spirit to guide me. I need to know what to leave out for another time. On top of that there is the constant nagging thought that I'm the biggest hypocrite that has ever lived. Every preacher feels it (well, they SHOULD anyway), and no preacher ever really conquers it - that fine line between knowing you are called to proclaim the Truth and knowing that you don't live it, at least not as well as you should (which is how everyone feels, if we're honest with ourselves). I guess preachers are human too.

Sigh.

Anyway, if you've ever wondered what it feels like to prepare and preach a sermon, read this.

Also I found the thing below on another blog. I hope it makes you smile and nod. It made me smile and nod.

Cause and Effect

God gave us the sun and the stars and the winds, and people worshiped the sun and the stars and the winds, instead of the God who made them.

Then God gave us the Law and people worshiped the Law instead of the God who spoke it.

No matter what God gave us, we ultimately found ourselves worshiping that thing, and not God.

So God gave us himself instead.