Face in the Crowd

Hudson fell asleep on the way to church this past Sunday. Knowing if I dropped him off sleepy, he would cry and cry in the nursery, I decided he and I would hang out in the church courtyard. The service is piped in among the hydrangeas. Picture a beautiful southern garden, a soft breeze, a precious sleeping baby, and a lovely service of Morning prayer... it was a sweet sweet time. I also happened to be sitting where the ministers pass before going into the church. Each one spoke to me and a couple gave us a blessing. In a church of almost 4,000, that is most unusual, but the Lord must have know what I needed...

The sermon was too good not to share...

"Jesus looked out and saw a great throng of people. And yet the Bible tells us no one is lost in the crowd. Jesus saw not only a great throng, but each person in the crowd remained distinct."

"Can you find your face in the crowd- the political left, the political right, those in between; the weak, the timid, the confused, the doubting, anxious about many things; those of a fearful mind, those harassed with temptations, burned-out, over-scheduled, under-scheduled, the lonely, frayed marriages, spiritual poverty, vexations of a thousand kind; bereavements, impending danger and impending death- all gathered together as one flock, the whole human race by and large looking for love in all the wrong places, with one thing in common: no power to help ourselves, whether we know it or not all depending on a miracle beyond human capabilities; all depending on the compassion of a loving God. Can you see yourself in the crowd?"

"The gospel does not address itself to those who might be ready to lift themselves out of the mire, who might show signs of improvement. The gospel does address itself those who have surrendered all hope of human sufficiency and leaning on his grace alone."

From Dean Limehouse's sermon on the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 this past Sunday. You can read it here or download the mp3 here (eventually).