Preaching to The Pews

Having lunch with my mother on Friday

I had a good visit with my mother on Friday.  I took her out to eat since I am never able to be with her on Mother's day.  We went to see my dad's grave after lunch.  I enjoyed the visit with her.  She is doing very well. 
We got back to Hillsboro Friday night after driving through some hard rain.  We drove 55 mph most of the way (48 mpg was nice).  It is good to be back home.  I went to the store this morning and to the bank this afternoon.  I left Janie at the house and went to my office at the church.  I thought I would give the church bus a try and it cranked right up and I moved it just a few feet.  It is going to have to make two long trips in July hauling kids to church camp. 
The auditorium was a quite place this afternoon and the pews had to sit through a 45 minute sermon from the book of Jonah.  They were silent and completely unresponsive to the preaching of God's word.  Not one of them came forward to rededicate their lives during the invitation.  None of them repented of their sins.  None of them got saved. 

My mother's house

Actually I imagined the pews full of people, 500 in number.  Hundreds of them were shouting "AMEN." Mixed in with the "AMEN"'s  were shouts of "Halleluiah" and "Praise the Lord." I had to often stop to give time for the crowd to settle down a bit.  When I gave the invitation 50 people walked the isle most kneeling to pray and others waiting in line to talk with me about being saved or requesting to be baptized.  It was a glorious imagining.  I had a vivid imagination as a child and often it rears its head in my adult life.  I love to preach and I must confess that often the enthusiasm of the congregation, or the lack thereof, affects the enthusiasm of my preaching. 
The prediction of the Rapture occurring today did not come to pass.  It was no surprise to me.  The Lord will come in His own good time.  Just make sure your ready for when He does come.  God bless you.