What a Week

By Gobel Brockman


I begin by telling you that I've sat in front of this computer for a few moments staring at a blank screen. That happens a lot when I type these devotionals, but it's usually because I'm trying to come up with something to say. Tonight, I know exactly what I want to say - it's the how that's causing me issues, because I'm feeling a little overwhelmed at what's happening. So I suppose I'll just begin & see where it takes us. (This oughtta be fun...) This week has been one of the busiest I've had in awhile:

*This past weekend my wife and I visited our son and his family. He pastors an Assemblies of God church in the northern part of the state. During the worship service that Sunday the presence of God came in an undeniable way. God began moving on people's hearts, and they began to worship the Lord without reservation. It was a powerful time. We then listened to our son preach under a palpable anointing of the Holy Spirit. It was indeed an incredible time in the Lord.

*We arrived back home that Sunday evening. The next two days were spent at a conference in Terre Haute. The main speaker was John Kilpatrick, who was the Pastor at Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola, Florida during the Brownsville Revival that began on Father's Day 1995 and lasted for several years. He spoke at the evening services. He was also scheduled to speak at some morning sessions, but due to illness the host Pastor rearranged the speaking schedule so that Pastor Kilpatrick could recuperate. As a result, I had the privilege of listening to my Pastor and his son (an evangelist) minister during the Monday morning session, and I was honored and blessed to share the platform with my brother-in-law and minister at the Tuesday morning session. It was an incredible time, and the presence of God was there during the entire conference. By the end I was exhausted - in a good way!

*This all came on the heels of being asked by the Apostle/Senior Pastor of our church to consider accepting a staff position at the church. God had already been dealing with me about that very thing, so it didn't catch me off-guard. So while I'm not the best candidate for the job, I look forward to doing my best at it and serving a great leadership staff and church. I love where God has placed my wife and I, and I'm excited at what God has in store.

I think the reason that this week has had such an impact on me is because it bears witness to something someone told me a few years ago. You see, I have to be honest with you - I'm reaching the age where you start to get tempted to feel as though your best and most productive days are behind you. But about three years ago a minister came to me with a Scripture and said that the Lord had laid it on his heart that it applied to my life for this season. It's found in Joel 2:25:

     "I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten..."    

The minister went on to say that he felt led to tell me that the most effective years of ministry were ahead of me, not behind. As I look back over the last two years, I see just how true those words have been. God has done an amazing work in my heart, and I'm experiencing things that I thought I'd never get to see - and I know that it's only going to increase in the days ahead.

I've said all of that to simply say this: if you will submit your life and your future to the Lord, then your best days can be in front of you. God does an amazing job at restoring things, because His grace truly is amazing. Just be willing to step out and believe that it's not over yet, because God isn't constrained by the past, for He operates in the present.

Just follow Him and hang on.