Friday, April 11, 2014

LOOKING FORWARD

















I’ve attempted to write a recipe post all week long, and quite frankly my heart hasn't been in it. 

Billy came home from golf on Saturday and told me that there was to be a big announcement at church on Sunday and that he didn’t think that it was anything good…so of course he Googled it…if you happen to be hanging with Billy, and a topic comes up that needs clarification, you can always count on him to get out his phone and Google it!  As he showed me what he found my heart sank and I felt a little sick.  Our pastor was resigning due to “moral failings”.  I so didn’t want this to be true, but somehow I knew that it was.  I don’t say that I knew because I had any clue beforehand, but because I know that my pastor is but a man.

Sunday morning as one of the associate pastors, Pastor Chet gave a message on faith, preparing the church for what was to come that afternoon, I felt as though I were in mourning; and I was.  I was mourning the loss of innocence for our church.  I mourned for those who would be devastated because they had mistakenly put the pastor on a pedestal.  I mourned for his wife and the kids whose lives had been turned upside down and inside out.  It was announced that there would be a Family Meeting later that afternoon; while the announcement had been quite vague, it was obvious that everyone at the meeting already suspected what was about to go down.  The announcement was made and a letter from the pastor was read.  There were hugs and tears, even some anger, as we all left the church grounds knowing that this church would not be the same.

I’m just gonna be blunt, what our pastor did is inexcusable; as a Christian and as a pastor he is held to a higher standard as he should be cuz he knows better, and also because it’s also biblical (1 Timothy 3).  While my pastor’s sin is inexcusable (and in no way has he been excused), it is not unforgivable!

God used our pastor as a tool to build this good church.  Our pastor insisted that we not idolize any pastor; he encouraged us to learn our bible, so that we could be sure that what the pastor was teaching is biblical; more importantly he emphasized that a relationship with Jesus was what mattered above all else!  My pastor and his family gave and sacrificed so much for their church, which became a strong church; that is rooted in Jesus!  I love my pastor, and I also want to punch him really hard in the arm.  I love his wife for sharing so much of herself and her life with us.  I love their kids for sharing their parents with us and for all the great stories that they may or may not know that we know!

Every difficult thing or experience that I’ve ever been through has helped to shape me and to get me where I am now, and while many of them I don’t want to experience again, I’m grateful for those experiences.  I know that the same is for the church.  God was not caught unawares and He will use this for His glory, which I believe will result in an even stronger church. 

This is what I read yesterday morning:  Luke 9:62 “No one having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

I am no longer mourning the past, but looking forward so that I will see the amazing things that God has in store for this church, His church!  Thank you Jesus that You are our Shepherd!



2 comments:

  1. Hi Kari,
    I just stumbled about this quote, when I was reading about the Mayo clinic:
    "Forgiveness and letting go can lead you down the path of healing and peace"
    Happy Easter to you and your loved ones!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Daniela, it's so true! Happy Easter to you and your family as well!

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