Loving God, shine upon this dear reader and his/her day! In Jesus' Name, amen.
This morning I read from a poster in my home office. It is written by a famous man and in it he describes an event where he "went very unwillingly." I smiled as I read that because of the number of things that I have had to attend or do "very unwillingly." The person in question is none other than The Rev. John Wesley and the account to which he refers was his attendance to a lay-led Bible study. His words say, "In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's Preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ. I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt that I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."
My most unwilling participation was my Walk to Emmaus in May of 1985. It was Walk #22 held in Kerrville, TX, at Mount Wesley, long a bastion of spiritual awakening and stengthening of faith. I had cancelled once or twice, but was strongly convinced by two dear friends and colleagues that I should attend; after all, they were attending. I did attend. But like Wesley, I went "very unwillingly." And to add insult to injury, we FLEW to Kerrville! One of the lay directors was in the process of getting his pilot's license and he needed the hours, and so four pastors were scheduled to fly with him and his instructor in a tiny plane. You that have heard this story know that two of the four pastors, myself included, were extra large. The lay person was too. Half of the human cargo would, in my opinion, be testing the limits of the single engine plane. The other XL pastor cancelled out, leaving the five of us to attend. Long story short, I was blessed beyond my expectations. What I entered into very unwillingly, blessed me, like Wesley.
I believe God uses our unwilling events to surprise us and strengthen us. I believe God knows our heart and needs and with His sense of humor sends the most unbelieveable blessing in the midst of that which we think will bore us or waste our time. Where are you going today unwillingly? Are you ready to be blessed?
PRAYER: Loving God, bless me even when I think I will be bored or wasting my time. Forgive me for my unwillingness in some things. I know that even there, I am not far from You. Let me be a blessing to You, I ask in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
