The Importance of Preparation

I know that at times when I am teaching, I fight the temptation to not prepare as much as I should because I know and trust that God is going to be the one granting me the grace to speak and teach anyway. However, I know when I give in to that temptation that I am sinning (although, God in His grace often grants me the grace to get through the teaching experience). I know that there are times when I am not going to have enough time to prepare before teaching (i.e., emergency situations). I also know that it is only by God's grace that I am able to teach when I have the opportunity. However, I feel that I should teach as if I am teaching under my own strength, then surrender myself to God. This often means that I spend more hours in preparation than I need to or that it takes me longer to teach certain short books of the Bible than maybe it should (some of you have experienced that first hand!). Teaching should be a time of worship for the teacher, and true worship results only when we sacrifice.

I love this quote from C.H. Spurgeon (aka, the Prince of Preachers):

Make it plain to your own self. I believe that, when I preach, I ought to prepare and study my sermon as if its success altogether depended upon me, but that, when I am thus thoroughly furnished, I am to trust in God as much as if I had done nothing at all. The same view should be taken of your life and of your service for God. Work as if you were to be saved by your works, and then trust Christ only, since it is only by faith in him that you are capable of a single good work. Work for God with all your might, as if you did it all, but then always remember that "it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."

He sums it up in better words than I ever could!