Overwhelmed... Or Not.

During praise and worship yesterday morning, we're singing Come To The Altar and the phrase "overcome by the weight of your sin" hit me. How often do we truly think about it?

Probably not nearly enough. Does it break our hearts like it breaks God's? Even as we are being sanctified and in the journey to greater reflect the Christ we love and the God we serve? Probably not.

Pastors on the other hand...

I've known many, that while it doesn't hold them back, have a keen sense of awareness of the human condition before God. And not just those whom they minister. They have a continual broken and contrite heart before God knowing that they, themselves, are not perfect and have neither arrived, nor achieved a position or status where there sin isn't ever before them. Yes, it's been forgiven, but they also understand it is only ever, one step behind them as well.

Conversely, just as it can easily become for all of us, so too, can a pastor forget or dismiss the power and damage of sin in relationship to how we connect with God and man. This is a dangerous place to be, because I think it does affect how we interact with others. And more importantly, it changes how we pray and communicate with God as well as how we read His Word.

That should be our wake-up call. But I fear for pastors who no longer are "overcome by the weight of their sin" as they song reads. It creates an opportunity for spiritual awareness to sneak out and away. Perhaps, worse, it opens the door for a contrite and broken to become a little less contrite and broken. And not because God has healed and restored it. But because it creates a sense that perhaps our sin isn't that bad or it's negative impact in our lives isn't so severe. And that is incredibly dangerous ground on which to stand, live and move our being.

On this #seniorPastorMonday, pray those pastors who perhaps, aren't as "overwhelmed" as they once wear. Pray for those whose heart isn't as broken and contrite as it once was. Whether they are feeling the effect in their ministry or not, pray that God would do a fresh work in their lives. Pray for their relationships as well, both within the church as well as their home and community. May there be a passion for others because the awareness of what God has done in their heart and mind is ever at the forefront of everything they do and set out to accomplish. Pray they hearts would not grow hardened nor the light go dim, nor their love go cold. May God strengthen their faith as they exercise their faith to greater things.

For the advancement of the kingdom of God
And the cause of Jesus Christ.
For His glory alone.

- PNC