The Day After
Yesterday was the Dodger Stadium Harvest Crusade in L.A. We went to bed well past midnight, blessed and exhausted (Greg far more than me, for sure). He has described the ramp-up to a night of crusade preaching like being in a vice. All of us in the Laurie household, down to the grandchildren, try to be sensitive to the pressure as we pray for him.
This morning, the day after many long days and nights of anticipation, preparation, praying, and waiting, we look over our shoulders at last night, thankful that God touched lives in truly amazing ways, in some ways exceeding our expectations.
There is a sense of euphoria about evenings like last night; one can get caught up in an emotional high that can leave you flat the day after. But after many years of such evenings, I keep my mind and emotions in check, thankfully grounded and balanced by Jesus’ words to the disciples when they returned after seeing God work through them mightily: “Rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
But today is Sunday. As I write this you may wonder what do we do the Sunday following a night like last night? Well. . .we get up and go to church.
I am there because I need to be there, not because people expect me to be there (after all I am the pastor’s wife!) and not because I am under obligation to attend Sunday morning church. I am Christian first, and in order to love God the way He wants me to love Him, I must tremble at His words, and “not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. . .” (Hebrews 10:25).
There may be times when it is not convenient. There may even be those days when I don’t feel like it. But it is His will for all Christians, and not least the Pastor’s wife, to attend church faithfully, joyfully, expectantly! At the end of the day, all of us, whether in full-time ministry or not, are children who should love to hear and obey our Father’s Word.
Listening to Greg preach for almost 40 years (!) I can say, apart from the fact that he is my husband, he is also my pastor and I need to hear him teach. I smile at times, having lived many of the illustrations he uses in his sermons. Many times I can finish his sentences before he does. And after church, I will go home to ordinary tasks like doing his laundry, although (by choice) he does his own ironing! Yet when I am in church listening to him preach, I expect God to speak to me. . .every time. I come with my pen and paper and an ear ready to hear what the Lord has to say.
I recently came across this list of questions on Nancy Leigh DeMoss’ blog that wonderfully helps in examining our hearts so we can get the most out of Sunday worship. I was challenged and convicted by them and hope you will be too!
- Do you highly esteem, respect, and reverence the Word of God (Nehemiah 8:5; Psalm 138:2)?
- Do you prepare your heart to hear the Word of God (Psalm 119:18)?
- Do you find delight in hearing the Word proclaimed?
- Do you listen attentively when the Word is being read or preached (Nehemiah 8:3; Psalm 85:8)?
- Do you expect God to speak to you every time you hear His Word proclaimed?
- Do you have a teachable spirit (Psalm 25:9)?
- Do you tremble at the Word of the Lord (Isaiah 66:2; Ezra 9:4)?
- Do you pray for those who proclaim the Word to you, that they might be pure, anointed vessels of God (1 Thessalonians 5:25)?
- When the Word is preached, are you conscious that you are not listening to the words of men but to the Word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13)?
- Do you have a commitment to obey anything God shows you from His Word (Matthew 7:24; James 1:22–25)?
- Do you respond in faith, that is, acting on the Word you have heard (Hebrews 4:2)?
- Is your heart good soil that receives the Word and produces fruit (Luke 8:15)?
- Are you willing to let the message sit in judgment of you rather than you sitting in judgment of the message?
- Do you take the message personally (James 1:22)? Or are you more focused on how it applies to the people sitting near you?
- Do you pass on to others what you’ve learned from the Word of God (2 Timothy 2:2)?
- Do you express appreciation and gratitude for those who minister the Word of God to you (Galatians 6:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13)?
8 comments
Renee | September 12, 2011
Thank you for the encouragement....I am a pastor's wife in Puerto Vallarta Mexico...Thank you for reminding of those things that the Word should do in my own life first before it can be used effectively through me to others as I share it. God bless you my sister! I love Pastor Greg's ministry and how the Lord uses him so directly to get to the heart of the matter of salvation in so many people's lives!
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Christine | September 13, 2011
Thank you for putting all those questions. It helps me to evaluate my heart. I go to Thursday night Bible Study in Irvine (Harvest OC) and Sunday morning to Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa for the 1st service. If I am off the whole day on Sunday then I go to Harvest OC @ 11:30AM. Thank you for your ministry.
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Jane | September 15, 2011
Thank you for being a faithful servant of God. I can't thank you enough as these verses that you mentioned are those Words that I needed in my current situation. God Bless you.
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Shannon | September 16, 2011
Love that! I am so thankful for my Harvest home, where The Word is so faithfully taught. We are truly blessed:)
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Susan | September 16, 2011
Your list of questions really makes you examine yourself very closely. Thank you for your devotion that is shared with us.
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Cindy | September 18, 2011
Aloha! Yes we hear you all the way across the Pacific Ocean to the Big Island! Thank you for your willingness to "blog" your thoughts and encouragement! Great set of questions to ponder! Praying you guys could come to our Island to teach and encourage us in person...We know God can do anything!
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Cindy | September 21, 2011
Dear sister,
I am from Mauritius island in the Indian ocean. My husband Dominique is really blessed by Pastor Greg Laurie's ministry and receives the enriching daily devotions. We are really blessed by your testimony and life. We are so thankful to God that we have come to know Calvary chapel ministry through Pastor Ron Dozler from CC Myrtle Beach and that we also form part of God's family. Don't stop serving faithfully our Lord Jesus. You are a great encouragement to many hearts. May God bless Pastor Greg and you as well as your son, his wife and the grandchildren and the church too. We started the Calvary chapel ministry here on the island 4 to 5 years back and I would ask you to pray for us here. Thank you very much.
Jean Schuchardt | October 14, 2011
Dear Cindy,
I can't believe this! I have been praying and fasting for the Island of Mauritius since September 1, 2011! Never had I heard of Mauritius until the dream I had on that morning! Wow! My sister and I have been praying and fasting every Friday for the reason I was given the dream. Last Friday, I googled Mauritius missions and came up with CC Dominique Modeley, a missionary to Mauritius, so I sent an e-mail to him describing my dream! Hope you get this. God is so amazing.
Love, Jean
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Karen | September 25, 2011
This was so good. These questions are ones that all Christians need to ask ourselves. I printed it out and forwarded them to some family members.
Thanks Cathe!
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