From Murky Water To Crystal Clear

Preaching expository messages is not always easy. Sometimes when preaching through a book of the Bible verse by verse a set of verses that are murky arise in the schedule. The meaning or relevant application may not be clearly identified. This is what happened to me studying for the Sunday morning message this week.

I read the passage and immediately wondered how to preach a passage ghat did not inspire me. I sat down to do the word study work. No inspiration came. The passage seemed like a stagnant pond with scum and moss growing on the surface leaving the waters murky and unfit to drink. I still believed it was God's word but no message came.

It weighed and weighed on me. Come Saturday night I still did not have anything but a murky view still. The truth is the scripture was not murky as much as my mind was dull. I could not see clearly. The longer the message did not come the more discouraged I grew. . Prayer did not work. Pondering did not work. Reading did not work.

I began thinking of taking an easy way out by preaching an easier passage from another book. I went to bed Saturday night with that as my intention. When I awoke early on Sunday morning I went to my home office. There on my desk sat the word study from previous labors. It still looked murky and I could not see a message.

I prayed. Then, like a key that fits a locked door God dropped one word into my mind that proved the key to unlocking, not only the passage, but inspiring a message. Those scriptures went from looking murky to becoming crystal clear in a matter of seconds.

God gives the revelation. God gives the inspiration. God provides the insight. God provides the illumination to see what at first looks murky making it crystal clear. That seemingly murky passage became a life giving stream to feed the flock.

All the education, all the commentaries, all the study helps, and all the past exegesis did not help to see clearly. God made the murky clear. God opened a dull mind and gave him the key to unlock a treasure trove of truth to nourish the people of God.

When that message all came together I sat back in my chair looking at the notes on my desk. I reclined in amazement that God worked miraculously in my mind to bring it all together. Those in attendance today who heard the message may not have given it high regards. They were not there when God gave the key to unlock the door turning the murky into crystal clear life giving truth for this preacher. I do not take that for granted. It felt pretty supernatural to me and I hope and pray God will continue to give those kind of messages to my last breath.