Tag: crowds

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

It’s getting crowded in here

Posted on by William Douthwaite

A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Kings 4.

You begin as two. You have a few kids. Before you know it, they’ve grown up. They get married. They begin to have children.

Suddenly, you hardly have room for everyone for a birthday or holiday get together. You don’t have enough chairs for everyone to sit at the dinner table. There isn’t enough room in the driveway for everyone’s cars.

What a wonderful problem to have!

As the writer of 1 Kings describes Solomon’s staff and wealth, he adds this amazing update:

“Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance” (1 Kings 4:20).

This is exactly God promised Abram in Genesis 13:16. It takes a while (about 800 years) but God did it.

I guess that’s a good reminder that many good things don’t happen overnight. Or in the course of a year. Or maybe in a lifetime.

Posted in Ministry

Day and night, night and day

Posted on by William Douthwaite

It was as different as night and day. I preached to the big Christmas Eve crowd last night and to a much smaller gathering this morning, Christmas Day. I grew up always going to both, but most worshippers choose one or the other.

Those contrasting moments feel very different to a preacher. On the one hand, I hope for the “full house” on Christmas Eve. I accept the fact that worship on Christmas Day isn’t even on most people’s radar. The temptation is to be pumped up for the eve crowd, and not put as much effort into the day attendees.

But you can’t do that. Some of those folks came a long way and carved out time to be there. It’s been a long time since they’ve been together as a family. And they are because of the story. A story that remains the same, even though much has changed in the past year.

While the one feels exciting, the other is more intimate. At the one you look at a crowd, but at the other you can look into their eyes. At the one there are many strangers; at the other I’ve met everyone as they’ve arrived.

Which do I like better? It’s hard to say. I really like both. I like to tell the story and I like to hear it, too. It pumps me up and settles me down more than the size of the crowd.

I love the sea of candles in a dark sanctuary on Christmas Eve. I also love the rays of sunshine that stream through the windows first thing on Christmas morning.

Thank you, Lord, for the best of both worlds!