I've got a problem. . .

If you were around for last week's message, you know that the train sort of jumped the track on Sunday. I went over at least 15 minutes during the first hour, maybe closer to 20. I am often a bit over, but Sunday was unusually long.

For what it's worth I thought I'd give you the back story. . . .

• I am trying to get through Galatians by the end of the summer.

• I have to be away several Sundays this summer and our staff made the decision that, given the complexity of the Galatians argument, it's probably most effective if I hold on to Galatians. Ken will be on Sabbatical this summer, so Steve will be doing an interspersed series on the doctrine of the Word on the weeks I am not here.

• The end result of all these realities is that I have tried to combine some texts I had planned to preach separately. It didn't work too well last Sunday. Clearly that was 2 messages.

• I think I am a bit tired. It was my fifteenth Sunday in a row. I am ready for a pulpit break and will get one, not this Sunday, but next as I sneak away with the men for the Men's Retreat. I am still speaking 3 times, but it's different and a nice change up. All that to say when I get tired, I tend to get "loose" and undisciplined in my time and content management.

• In addition, it was a Communion Sunday, which are always "tight" since we have an extra 10-15 minute piece in the service.

• It was hot and our Sunday School teachers were dying. Not a good Sunday to go over.

So . . . after the first hour, I cut the message in half and preached only through the first point. . . and still went over. Yikes!

So . . the first hour heard a different message than the second and third hours. Radio got the longer message. Web got the shorter message . I am pretty sure that's the first time that's happened in 5 years. I'm still trying to figure out how to straighten out this mess for this Sunday. I think what will happen is that I will change up the content some and just preach it again. After all, repetition is the key to learning.

I still have the challenge of how to get through all this amazing truth before the end of the Summer. I don't want to rush it, but it doesn't make sense to take the Galatians beyond the Fall Kick Off. The Lord will lead. Pray for me!

One more reminder to me and you that I don't have it all figured out. I'm weak. I make mistakes. I get tired. I make poor choices. I'm on journey. I'm still learning.

God's Word is a deep well every time we go it. Its treasures are inexhaustible. There's always more there than we can digest. Thanks be to God!