Travelling for the Lord

When I read how an Argentine tennis player drove 10 hours from Barcelona to Paris to play at Roland Garros I was mightily encouraged. Yesterday I rested all day from my long weekend ministry in Keningau. For the first time I took the Kimanis to Keningau road that passes through the Crocker Range. It has some majestic sights along the way but for about 30 minutes it was mostly steep climbs and my Triton pickup slowed considerably as it climbed to 4 or 5 thousand feet above sea levels. Reaching Keningau from my home 🏠 in KK in less than 2.5 hours was a relief. It was just past noon and my class did not start until at night so I managed to get some rest in a local hotel. I taught for almost 8 hours - 2.5 hours Friday night and 5 hours on Saturday. My students took me for morning tea break which went for 45 minutes but the fellowship of the saints was what mattered. I had a late lunch on my own and returned to the hotel to prepare for the Sunday sermon. It happened that on Saturday nighi there was a youth meeting for the District of Keningau.
I was told the meeting on Friday night was very well attended but on Saturday night at most only 150 youths were in church. As I travelled light I wore a Tshirt for the service which is not usually done especially for pastors and leaders. And to my surprise I was invited by the MC to say the closing prayer. And again fellowship was great which lasted until 11pm and I drove back to the hotel. I got up several times during the night though I tried my best to think of the sermon too much. I got up real early and the service was at 9.30am. I spent an hour over buffet breakfast while reading my Bible and reading through my 16 slides I had prepared for the sermon. 9am did not come early enough and I reached the church at 9.20am. The service started at 9.40am and with Lord’s communion I did not get to preach until 11am. I stopped at 11.45am having gone through 12 or 13 slides. I felt the Lord’s preeence because humanly I had only 3 or 4 hours sleep after a tiring weekend classes. But the Spirit bore me along as if on eagles’ wings and my delivery was fluent. I made a number of comments on the current new political landscape in Malaysia and drew laughter and nods of agreement. Though as much as we could rejoice in the change of government but I told the church that we don’t put our trust in human beings or worldly government but in the Lord. I spoke about the need for a complete and capable leadership in church using Acts 1 and Deuteronomy 1 as my starting points. Amazingly as Moses prepared God’s people to enter the promised land he ensured proper leadership was in place - wise discerning and prudent in the LXX and in the Hebrew wise knowledgeable and with understanding.