I Marvel at His Mercy!

I truly do marvel sometimes, at the mercy of God in setting me aside to be a preacher of His Gospel. If you knew me, you'd know what an amazing thing that is! I grew up believing that the only reason a man would ever become a preacher was because he wasn't good for anything else. I don't know why I believed that. Nobody that I remember ever said it to me. That's just what I thought.

And so I set my course in a different direction. Early on I loved to study science. I received a degree in chemistry and even worked in research for a little while (though that sounds much more impressive than it really was!) And yet God called me to Himself. He opened my eyes to see Christ as my only Savior and Lord. He turned my feet so that I would walk after Him. And then He called me to declare His praise to the nations, that all might see and hear the glories of His grace.

I don't know why he did it. I just know that He did. And now it is my privilege, among other things, to spend time in His word, seeking to understand Him and the wonderful things He has done, and then somehow to find a way to express what I have learned to others.

That's where the note that follows (or perhaps its a prayer) comes in . I sent it out as an email to our congregation asking them to pray for me. You see, my greatest desire as I stand before them on Sunday, is to be able to express, in some small way, the wonderful things God has so graciously allowed me to see! And though you may be reading this long after the particular events have passed, perhaps you might be moved to pray for me as well, or to pray for your pastor, that he, too, may be able to declare clearly "the wonders of God's grace" to his people this Sunday.

So here is the note:

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Dear Family in Christ,

Once again I am humbled to the point of great joy over the truth God has let me see in the passage we'll be studying this Sunday, from Mark 5:1-20. There is such a stunning picture here of the compassion and power of Christ! I find myself humbled and encouraged just to think of it!

Please pray with me that God will give enabling grace to share, to some degree, the wondrous mercy he's allowed me see. I always feel -- and every preacher feels this way, I think -- I always feel that I fall way short of really being able to describe the great depths of his love that I see opening up before me in the careful study of Scripture! My desire is that he would enable what he has made so stunningly beautiful to me, to appear just as beautiful to you, and that the encouragement he's giving me, will fill your heart as well when we meet together this Sunday!

Seeking Him for an outpouring of grace!

S. Scott Lee
Soli Deo Gloria
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