Clean... Breaks & Slates

Yes... I'm still thinking about this Senior Pastor and his announcement from Sunday morning. Really? Why... It was Sunday. We prayed over him on Monday. Today is Thursday. We hear news then move on? I'm sorry you are going through that... then it's back to what we have to take care, where we have to go, what's on the schedule, what's for dinner and who's coming to dinner?

I'm still somewhat in shock and awe, that nobody saw this coming. That nobody in the inner circle didn't suggest taking some personal time, taking a vacation or a sabbatical. Was there no close friend he could confide in, nobody on the deacon board who spoke up, sensing something was off? I don't know the answers to these questions, but when the preface to the confession of "not being okay" is that the church culture is such that it's okay to "not be okay", I'm at a loss as to how one arrives at jumping to the end and declaring 'game over', rather than a 'time out'.

That said... clearly he felt a clean break was necessary. Perhaps God will use this time to wipe the slate clean and start afresh in his ministry. Which isn't necessarily a bad deal. Often in Scripture, we see a clean break. A decisive walk-away moment. Whether it was the wisest decision to be made or a clear directive from God or Christ, Himself, there are times when the line is drawn and everything forward is new. Everything is different.

It's what Christ has done for each of us. Our lives, the moment we decide to follow Christ, the line is drawn. We are given a clean slate. It doesn't always feel that way as the spiritual battle continues between flesh and spirit, but it is truth. God makes all things new. We are made new creatures in Christ. Important or obscure, prominent or unknown, whatever our place in life was before; our identity is in Christ.

God lacks nothing. We are the ones who come up short. So whatever it is, that we have need off, God stores in abundance. There should be nothing in this life that we should look at and respond, God is unable to help.

It simply requires the acknowledgement of our need and that only He can resolve where we fall short. I'm believing God will accomplish the miraculous in this church and this circumstance, as well as the pastor and his family. That said, I can only imagine the difficulty that the leadership team, operations staff and remaining pastors are battling, as they not only sort through the "what's next" of the process, but also evaluate and reflect where things went wrong. Perhaps there's some things that need to be revamped, overhauled and even, start clean.

Pray, this #deaconThursday, for church administrators, decision-makers and advisors; that first and foremost they would seek the face of God for each and every decision and challenge they face. Pray for unity in their spirit, as to what they sense the direction God would have them choose. Pray for resolution to problems and conversations where conflict and tensions run high and hot. Even in the face of confusion with a seemingly lost sense of direction; may the Holy Spirit bring a peace and clarity to their hearts and their minds. May they receive from the Lord, that which they acknowledge they are in need off and may God hear their prayers and answer with abundance, for in Him are all things made new and we are made complete.

Clean before my Lord
With no trace of wrongs left to right.
For His glory and for His service.

- PNC

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