Hide and Seek
Last night Amy and I got some bad news. Because of a moral failure a young, Christian, engaged couple with a bright future in life and ministry are stepping down from ministry and moving a wedding up by 6 months. They became pregnant. He is going to announce his resignation tonight at the church where he is a minister.
Amy and I don't know this couple very well, but it really made us sad. We wondered why we were so sad about this since we aren't really friends with the couple and they don't really affect our lives. I think we were upset because of the whole situation. It is sad to us when Christians are caught in their sin. Obviously we were upset that these Christians were in sin, but everyone makes mistakes. To us, the most devastating thing is that they hid it. They hid it from their families, churches, friends and I would assume everyone. After finding out they were pregnant they tried to convince their families that they should just elope (without saying they were pregnant) to try and cover the sin.
Numbers 32:23 says to be sure that our sins will find us out. We cannot cover or hide our sins. When this couple tried to hide their sins it hurt their future, their present, their parents, churches, youth group and future child. When we hide our sins it gives our enemy a foothold.
I think it is important, for us as a team, to repent of all of our secret sins. If we are hiding anything our enemy can use that as amunition when we least expect it. Leviticus 5 also says that when people sin and don't realize it, it is still sin. And when we realize that we have sinned in the past God still holds us accountable. I suggest that all of us pray that God shows us if we have any secret or even unrealized sin in our lives and when He graciously reveals it, that we repent. I am not suggesting that we share our laundry with our team, but we do find someone who can hold us accountable and share admit our sin and repent of it with a fellow Christian. It would be better for us to voluntarily repent and be forgiven then to hide sin.
I also think that we should start to pray about our own spiritual health for when and if we go to NZ. Bill Weber said most missionaries who fail fail because they don't work on themselves as Christians. I think maybe we should talk about how to continue to grow spiritually when we are 10,000 miles away from our normal support networks. I am sure that if God calls us all to be on the same team we will certainly help one another, but we will also need others. Maybe we should seek out wisdom of others who have been in similar positions.
I know that this entry is long, but I was really affected last night and I think God used it to remind Amy and I of His standards. I just wanted to share that with you guys, too.
posted by Joe and Amy at 11:50 AM
6 Comments:
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17). Joe, you are a true sharpener. It was evident to me from spending time with you in NZ, and I'm still seeing it now. Both of you are serious about living up to standards that God has provided for us to live by. I love that about you guys. Certainly God put you in my life for this reason. I tend to relax in my walk with Christ when I'm not doing everything I can do to improve it. It is easy to look around at people that I look up to spiritually and see the compromises they make, and then begin to lower the standards in my own life. I've done that a lot. Thanks for reminding me that I need to stop looking around and comparing myself to other Christians and start striving to imitate Christ instead.
Ephesians 5
1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
2:32 PM
I agree with Joe-I think it is so important that we are not giving Satan any ground right now...he will always find a way to use it and from talking to other missionaries it seems like his attacks are stongest when you start out on the mission field, and he'll use anything he can. Last night when we were talking, Joe also said something that really stuck out to me. Joe was saying how it's so sad when Christian leaders fall like this because sometimes we are so worried about trying to make other people Christians that we forget to keep working on own spiritual life. This news was very sad to us, but like Joe said, I think mostly it is sad because of the implications that this will bring about for them, their families, and the people they were ministering to, and because of how this sin lead to other sins like deceit and it just kept going. This reminds me of two verses,Gen. 4:7 when it says that sin is crouching at your door, it desires to have you but you must master it, and of James 1:15, but each one is tempted by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed, Then after the desire has concieved, it gives birth to sin and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death. I think it is so important that we pray that God will help us notjust to avoid sin, but avoid all temptations, we must master it. I feel like the James verse gives such a perfect illustration of what happens when you give in a little... Anyway not to go on and on, but this news last night really got us thinking and talking. Being as we may be future team-mates, I guess we felt it important to share.
2:48 PM
I knew a young couple a few years ago who found themselves in a similar situation...young, dating, Christians (not in ministry, but attending a Christian college), and suddenly, pregnant. To make it worse, her father was a minister to a congregation that had watched her grow up. She found herself, on the day of her wedding, standing up in front of that congregation, tearfully confessing her sin, asking for the forgiveness of the people who had for so long looked up to her and her family, and expecting their judgment. To her surprise, they wrapped their arms around her and her family, supported them, loved them, and ministered to their Minister.
That girl is my younger sister, Alison, and the child she was carrying is my neice, Grace. It was the one of the hardest times of my life, but it was also one of the most fruitful. Our family became closer than ever before. My father's congregation learned more about grace in one day than in the previous 20 years under my father's leadership. And a little baby was born that is the absolute delight of everyone who knows her.
The point of my (somewhat melodramatic) story is that while sin is destructive...and sexual sin most of all (1 Cor. 6:18)...even in the midst of that destruction, heartbreak, and shame, God is able to glorify Himself and bring about humbled hearts, new life, and not a lack of ministry, but a new kind of ministry (I've already been able to comfort two families from Northview who found themselves in similar situations). I guess I want to encourage you guys in your concern for your friends, by reminding you that God is great, and remains in control, even when it's hard to see it. John 16:33, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
3:29 PM
Whitney,
I hope I did not offend you. My sister also got pregnant to a man she was engaged to and now I have an awesome nephew because of it, so I did not mean to come across judgemental.
What I did mean to do was say that sin, any sin, is serious and we should deal with it seriously.
Thank you, though, for that word of encouragement. I am not super close with the couple, but it is still reassuring to know that God works all things for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose.
1:30 PM
I was not offended at all. I didn't think you were being judgmental...and I, too, appreciate the standards you and Amy set for yourselves and your interactions with others (except for the gas-passing...I think those could stand to be raised a little :-) ). In fact, I remember how judgmental I would have been of a couple in that situation before I saw my sister go through it, and you guys did not come across that way at all. I was just reminded by your story of how faithful God has been to my family and myself, so I thought I would share a little.
3:07 PM
Thanks
3:04 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home