Preaching for 1 hour

I did not realise that my sermon went for almost one hour -  58 minutes to be exact. I rose to the pulpit at 9.55 and stopped at 10.53am. With the closing prayers and short announcements the meeting lasted exactly 2 hours. I did not look at my watch once while preaching and I went with the flow and how attentive the 300 adults were. In fact they were in rapt attention except one or two who went for toilet break. It was not an easy sermon to preach over 7 points where for each point I gave a scripture and shared how we interpret it and for 4 or 5 points I shared my personal testimony of how I obeyed God’s word which I regard as having the highest authority. After service we had another 30 minutes in church talking to various people. One tambourine dancer whom I met 2 years ago as a 12 year old is now almost as tall as I am.
She was pleased that I remembered her name. Not that I am good at remembering names but she sat next to me as the speaker of a worship seminar and was my partner in an ice breaker. When I ended my sermon we sang lustily the church’s anthem which is really melodious and catchy Tuhan kami bervisi untuk semua bangsa This morning when I read about Benjamin with the rulers of Judah praising God in processions in his holy place I remember the 10 young female tambourine dancers yesterday waving their hands in worship to the Lord. It was a majestic sight when we get worship right because our God is extolled and glorified. At lunch fellowship yesterday the church leaders talked about the current political situation in Malaysia and we also discussed about our church situation as at the end of the year we are holding our AGM where leaders will be up for re-election or new leaders elected for the next 3 years.