It's obvious, but God is in control, after all!

I've just returned from meeting, as usual, with our local church here in Lincoln. I preach at Lincoln about 4 or 5 times a year, and this was one of those times: 'You must be born again', John 3, as one in a series working through all of John's gospel. It's a great chapter, but I knew I was 3 or 4 hours short on prep time. And I reckoned it showed - I knew I spoke too quickly, wasn't clear enough on 'take home message' and generally didn't think I was on top form. I asked Liz and, godly encouraging wife that she is, said it was the worst I've ever preached in New Zealand; I think some of her words were 'content was good but you spoke way too fast and it sounded like you were reading an essay'. Thanks Liz! No really - good honest criticism, and I agree.

But - the strange thing was that not all thought that! Sure, of the 200 it may be that 190 thought it was rubbish, but 10 didn't..... One said 'top notch as always Tim.' Another said 'I am blessed to be at church this morning'. Another, who's never commented on my sermons before and I don't even know their name, said 'that was so timely Tim, and all the girls thought it was just great.' A fourth said 'Tim, you often seem to get the passages that are more familiar (maybe he wasn't there when I preached on the long genealogy in Nehemiah 7!!), but when you do I always come away having had God show me something new - thanks'. And a fifth said 'wow Tim, I hadn't realised John 3 tied in with Ezekiel so much' etc etc etc...
Now I don't mention that to make me look great, for, although nice comments are, well, nice, I know that the talk today was a bad one. It really was. I might get the tape to see just where I went wrong. So the positive comments just go to show that God is in control after all. If people are hearing the truth of the gospel through my mistakes then that's amazing.
It reminds me of that verse from Isaiah 55:11, talking about God's word - It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
It seems that, on this occasion, God's word about being born again, in John 3, is achieving the purpose God desires for it. And that's a mighty good thing, and helps keep me humble 'cos today it was never about me at all.
Praise Jesus.