Emphasis Preaching Journal

I was fifteen years old, riding the city bus towards downtown and my 4:00 p.m. music lesson with my violin teacher. I was struggling with my books and violin case on the leatherette seats when an adult next to me asked, "And where do you go to school?"

My informative response: "Concordia."

"And what are you studying?"

Then came quite a pause, because I was in the pre-ministerial curriculum at our high school which was preparatory to the college pre-ministerial program --then it would be off to the seminary. But I guess the image I held of ministers didn't quite match that of football stars and people who made money. So I didn't really want to tell the world what I was doing.

"Well, right now, I am thinking of studying to be a pastor."

Suddenly, a bright light shone onto my face. It wasn't a Damascus type revelation, just the sun coming in the side window of the bus after we passed out from the shadow of a building. Maybe the brightness was the shame I felt admitting I was a little religious.

Prophets are called at the initiative of God. And he uses ordinary people, stumbling, reluctant, weak people. He can use even me, and you.