Chuck Swindoll is a
world-renowned author and preacher. By all reports, Pastor Chuck has an
outstanding capacity to impart practical wisdom and inspiration into the lives
of Christian laity and leaders. However, he describes an occasion of real
ministry crisis. While speaking at a pastor's conference, he had a
discouraging feeling of absolute failure. Although those in attendance
were quite engaged, seemingly clinging to every word, he was overwhelmed by a
deep sense of emptiness and frustration.
Sensing that God was
trying to communicate something significant, Pastor Chuck called four trusted
friends to his home and gave them this directive. “I want you to listen
carefully to my life story and see if anything stands out to you.” Beginning
with his earliest memories, he poured out his life story as friends listened
attentively.
When he had
finished, one of the friends followed up with a few questions and then said,
“Chuck, I want you to place your head on the table and close your eyes.”
Chuck complied willingly, laying his head on the table in front of him and
closing his eyes.
“Now, Chuck, I want
you to imagine that YOUR FATHER is holding you in his arms,” suggested his
friend. “Now what do you feel?”
Almost instantly
Chuck began to cry. For thirty minutes he sobbed uncontrollably.
You see, Chuck’s father had died when he was just seven months old so he had no
experience or recollection of a father’s love. But as he closed his eyes
that day, he felt the presence of pure, profound, powerful, unconditional love.
At that moment,
Chuck realized that although he had preached hundreds of messages about God’s
great love for us, he had never personally felt the intimacy and warmth of that
love. While his head lay on the table that day he sensed, for the first
time, that His Heavenly Father truly loved him – deeply, completely, unconditionally.
By his own
testimony, Chuck Swindoll and his ministry were never the same again.
My friends, while I might
be unfamiliar with your life circumstances, I am sufficiently sensitive to the
human condition to know that each of us has experienced troubling times of
doubt or despair. Perhaps we’ve even
wondered if God really cares because our problems loom so large and we seem so
small.
Here’s good
news. In the words of the late COGIC Presiding Bishop J. O. Patterson,
Sr., “We have a FATHER who has never been [rightfully] accused of non-support.”
Phenomenal insight!
During our prayer
time, Belinda and I cried out together to Him, “FATHER...FATHER...FATHER.”
And before we rose from our knees, we felt a deep sense of assurance that HE is
forever present and powerful – far greater than our own ability to
conceptualize or imagine. In a word, OUR FATHER is absolutely awesome!
Sisters and brothers,
be continually blessed and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO
MEET YOUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!
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