If you are new to Christianity, or newly appointed into ministry, I want to encourage you. It’s not the amount of biblical knowledge, the number of songs you remember, or the circumstances of your calling that concern God. He only needs your obedience to His call to become a willing vessel. I know this is no simple task. I have wrestled with being called and the methods God desires to use me as well.
But as I encourage you, I had the most amazing flashback to my earlier days to share. I sang on the praise team, and we had several members with limited abilities to speak English. It was normally not an issue, as we had several bilingual members. But this Sunday, none of them showed up. And a gentleman that was having a hard transition to America did. I could see his despair, as he realized there was no one to interpret for him.
I quickly brought it to the attention of our praise team as I changed the selections to songs that I knew he had heard before. The team agreed, and we moved forward. During our prayer before ministering, I asked God to allow our songs to bless him. When he heard a few keys on the piano, I saw his countenance change. During our last song, I felt a warm sensation hovering over me. And I knew it was the spirit of God, so I closed my eyes and quietly yielded to the spirit. At first, I didn’t realize what was happening, but I opened my eyes to see the gentleman crying. At that moment, I realized I was singing in an unknown tongue. But his overwhelmed reaction encouraged me to continue to flow.
At the end of the service, he hugged me and tried to communicate with me, but I could only try to explain that I didn’t understand him. The following week, an interpreter approached me smiling and stated that I sang in the gentleman’s native language. Also said that the gentleman had received discouraging information from home that week and really needed encouragement. Later, finding that the situation was being resolved, but wanted to thank me for sending hope his way. I explained I am not bilingual, and all praise be to God for the breakthrough the gentleman needed.
This is to encourage us all. God knows our limitations. He is not a God that would set us up for embarrassment. He is a God that will use our limited abilities and bless others in His kingdom. We must be a willing vessel, and He will do the rest.
Categories: L L McAdoo Straight From The Heart
Leave a Reply