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When you’re in God’s presence, do you expect great things from Him? Do you believe He will do what only He can do? Or has doubt caused you to lose your sense of wonder and anticipation? If so, you’re not alone.
Evidently, it happens to pastors, too.
England’s most famous preacher, Charles H. Spurgeon, spent much of his time mentoring young pastors in their calling. On one occasion, a young student approached the great orator and complained that he wasn’t seeing conversions following his preaching.
Spurgeon simply asked, “Surely you don’t expect conversions every time you preach, do you?”
The young pastor replied, “Well, I suppose not.”
“That’s precisely why you are not having them,” retorted Spurgeon.
This young preacher had lost sight of what God could do…and wanted to do. It takes a lot of faith to believe that God wants to change lives each time His Word is proclaimed.
Just ask Ezekiel. He learned a similar lesson thousands of years ago.
The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet – a vast army. Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them.’” (Ezekiel 37:1-13)
Let’s never surrender our expectations of God. He can do great things!
Resource’s Origin:
Engaging Exposition by Daniel Akin, Bill Curtis, and Stephen Rummage. B&H Academic, 2011, Pages 217-218.
Topics Illustrated Include:
Assumption
Attitude
Charles Spurgeon
Conversion
Doubt
Expectations
Faith
God’s Power
Lesson
Preacher
Preaching
Responsibility
Salvation
Student
Worship
(Resource cataloged by David R Smith)
