Clarity In The Dark

I'm still reeling over this scandal with the Catholic priests.

I know we've prayed many times over, that deacons and other non-pastoral leadership people would be those who would give well-grounded Biblical advice and insight. We've also prayed for discernment as those people were chosen and placed. And this situation places a high-priority on the incredible importance of both of those factors becoming reality.

Good people who give good advice who continually and consistently make good decisions themselves. Repeat.

I know, we closed yesterday's prayer with idea that none of us are in a place to say, thank God I'm not...

None of us know what the person next to us has gone through and they don't know the same about you or I. Indeed, the indictment and judgement you pass on your neighbor very well could be your own. Of course, the process of giving careful consideration to who we allow in our "inner circle" is complicated by the fact that not only do none of us probably deserve to be in the positions we are; we could just as easily fall from grace as the next person... and as these priests have done.

I'm having difficulty writing this... the issue is that complex. Clearly, the examples that serve as evidence of this are countless. High-profile breaking news on national and international stages. Local news that rivets a community. And who knows how much more that are caught and dealt with in seeming obscurity.

This is a big deal because there's 1000 victims and 300 perpetrators. But it's just as disastrous for one life, one family, and the demise of one church that nobody outside of a small village may ever know.

Pray this #deaconThursday for the auxiliary leadership of the church. Pray that they would not only be people of character, but Godly, Biblical character, full of faith and the Holy Spirit. Pray that they would take great care in guarding their faith, hearts and minds, as well as their marriages and relationships. May God give them wisdom and discernment beyond their years; that they would be people of the Word and a voice for truth.

God give them clarity
Spiritual vision
In a dark reality.
For the glory of God.

- PNC