I recently had the experience of being summoned to jury duty. I had gone through this a few times before....where there is a date and a time that you have to show up at the courthouse. One of two things will happen in the course of the day. You will either be chosen to serve on a jury....and I have had this happen to me.....or at the end of the day they may tell you that all the cases had been settled out of court....and you will not be needed.....and I have had that happen. In this most recent experience....I showed up exactly on time....and there were no prospective jurors in the juror's room as there usually was. I asked if I was early....and was told....no....that late in the previous evening the case had been settled. So as every prospective juror showed....they simply turned around and went back home....their duty having been done.
This process came to mind to me only a few minutes ago as I sat down from doing my duties around the house.....with my headphones on as usual....listening to a Martyn Lloyd-Jones sermon. My mind was straying somewhat amidst the words of the sermon. I thought of the news of the day....and the very clear warnings in God's Word....no longer warnings such as Jonah gave where the people had forty days to repent....but more the warnings as Nahum gave....to prepare....for in effect....the case had not been settled out of court....as in the case of Jonah....but the trial took place....and we were found guilty....and the sentence was given....to commence immediately.So I had been praying....asking God's forgiveness for being impatient....thinking myself a failure because people did not seem to take heed of these warnings in these posts....which are only repeating the warnings that God gives throughout His word to us. This is probably thirty minutes ago at max.....listening to the sermon....having a bit of a pity party....and the thought came to me of the recent experience of jury duty. I showed up. I was ready to give attention to every minute in court. I was a little concerned because of my age. I doubt if the judge would call a short recess for juror number 5 to take his nap. There was a little nervousness....for people's lives are at stake....but I was ready....and then it was over before it started. At my age I'll probably never be called to jury duty again.
So every week I pray....usually on Saturdays....and again in the early morning hours of the Lord's Day....for God to awaken these otherwise faithful men in the pulpits....that He might bless them....and thereby also bless us who have to listen to them as they wander aimlessly....but in the next few days of every week....I realize that it was not yet God's perfect timing to awaken these men. It's like the situation at the courthouse....and being told that this is not the day for you.
