One day the elders of a large congregation got together for an elders' meeting. Now as we all know, elders' meetings are usually a bit mundane—discussing why Dr. Jones didnt tell anyone he was not going to be at the service to give the benediction, or how Hank has a burden for visitation. And usually (unless food is in sight) all the elders don't attend.
Well, this meeting was no exception, at least as far as attendance was con cerned. It may have been better attended than most such meetings, but at least two prominent members had other plans and were absent. But then, what committee ever meets with 100 percent attendance?
The men gathered at the church, but instead of the usual humdrum meeting, something very out of the ordinary took place. God came to the meeting!
Now this is not to say that God doesn't attend most elders' meetings, but some times He is not earnestly wanted and longed for. Sometimes the elders have not prepared for His appearance; they do not have a definite spiritual longing or know what it is to hunger and thirst for the Spirit as their all-consuming need.
Most of the time they expect to come together to discuss business, and the sooner it is over, the sooner they can resume tending to the really important things of life.
But it soon become apparent that this was no ordinary meeting. At their invitation, God was present. They were so spiritually filled they began to prophesy instead of bicker!
Prophesy about what and whom, we don't know, but they no doubt had a wonderful session together. The poor fellows that weren't at the meeting! What a spiritual blessing they missed! They should have been there.
But not necessarily. These two miss ing elders had apparently been doing some "closet" work, for soon someone arrived at the Spirit-filled elders' meeting to say that the two absent ones were in the city, also prophesying! The associate pastor groaned and took the news to the pastor. He pointed out that these fellows had not been at this spiritual revival. What spirit could be causing this? Perhaps they had no theological train ing. No doubt they were inexperienced. Besides, they were not part of the group at the meeting. And here they were, out there filled with the Spirit and making an impact—ahead of the Spirit-filled group and spoiling the effect they were to have once this marvelous manifestation of the Spirit would break into the open and become known.
"Stop them!" the associate pastor advised. "They'll ruin everything! With these two characters out there, our impact will be nil. What if everybody that wanted to would begin theologizing or preaching or, worse yet, prophesying! The people out there will get confused. Best forbid them."
Moses' reply? "Do you envy them for my [our] sake? Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them."
How big! He wasn't afraid of a dimmed reputation by others' success. If they were working in the Lord's Spirit, praise Him! If only all would. The world is wide. Techniques differ. Personalities differ. Where the Spirit reigns, God uses all. Eldad, Medad—God bless you!
With that, the meeting ended as all seventy went out to share the Spirit so generously imparted (see Numbers 11:24-30).
