Yesterday, our pastor announced that he is "going to preach in view of a call" at a church in Florida next week. That is the formal way for saying that he is switching churches. He is a godly man, and I have a lot of respect for him. I know that he has earnestly fasted and prayed about this, so I know that this is God's will for his life. I am sad to see him go, but I know that the Lord has good things in store for our congregation, and I pray that we will grow during this transition time.
Honestly though, I am more disappointed in the fact that our pastor had recently confided in some of the "leaders" of our congregation regarding his move, and they were not faithful to his confidence. This saddens me because I know the integrity of our pastor, and I know he trusted those in whom he confided. You see, one of the painful facts about gossip is that it is a cancer in the Body of Christ. It keeps spreading under the deceit of trust, but it is actually betrayal. And this betrayal ultimately undermines trust.
But in spite of these disheartening things, I am reminded by the Psalmist to consider instead the glory of the Lord and to set my thoughts on Him:
19 Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!
For each day he carries us in his arms.
20 Our God is a God who saves!
The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.
For each day he carries us in his arms.
20 Our God is a God who saves!
The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for carrying us in your arms. I praise you because you are good, and I thank you for saving us from our destructive selves. Lord God, please rescue our congregation from the death of gossip, and I pray that you will convict the gossipers in our congregation and lead them to repentance. Dear Father, I trust that you will sanctify us, and I ask you to mature us into the likeness of Christ, in whose name I pray. Amen.
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