It's that split second that occurs just before the latch catches on the car door when you've just noticed your keys dangling from the ignition. You see it, but it's too late to do anything about it. Sometimes sermons backfire, or roll over and play dead, or just limp off into well-deserved obscurity. Sometimes they just totally miss the mark and fail to connect. Sometimes you have a busy week, with meetings, meetings, and more meetings.
Folks are in the hospital, there's a newsletter to get out.
So you tell the old, old story using old, old stories. And you pray, all the while, that these nice folks sitting in the pews will suddenly develop temporary amnesia and forget that they've heard it all nine jillion times before. Youstagger to the end of the sermon, praying for the benediction to rescue you from this embarrassment. I'll do better next week, you'll see. And Joe Jones grabs your hand, and his eyes are all misty-looking, and he's having trouble getting his words out.