When I First Heard

When I first heard apostolic preaching, the kind that came from the Chief Apostle Himself that caused the hearts of his disciples to burn within them, I wanted to drop everything and follow too like His first followers did, so I think I understand. It was simply a continuation of the excitement I felt first learning that there were still apostles in the church today, not in the Bible writing sense, but in the dynamic, governmental sense.
I was working in a sawmill in Alaska with a wonderful wife and two beautiful little girls and they would have come with me willingly to get closer to the blazing heat of the fire of that preaching (but really it would have been no closer than it already was). I would have come running and wrote a letter saying so, to which they wisely responded in this fashion, “No, we think it better for you to keep your job and your place, and remain as you are, and let your enthusiasm overflow there where it is also needed, as we continue to make the messages available to you. We appreciate your heartfelt response.”
I was disheartened at first, I SO did NOT want to hear that. Though, looking back, I think certain others were relieved that I did hear what I heard. I kept waiting for invitations that never came. But what did come in due time was a leading, a leading that grew out of my own context in its proper time, a leading in a completely different direction and for which the aforementioned fire had tempered me.