(Posted on behalf of Pastor Paul Crisp)
It’s my observance that our church is in pain. I’m responsible to provide Pastoral support to our members as I am able. Among my duties:
– Feed people from the Word of God.
– Lead people to pray.
– Spend time (as time permits) with those who are hurting.
– Shun the Messianic complex.
Everywhere we look there are hurting, broken and dying people. I am but one but I am one. I must do what I can that He enables me to do.
In Matthew 9:36, we read that “When he saw the crowds, he was deeply moved with compassion for them, because they were troubled and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” When Jesus observed this He Was Moved. It affected Him. Much like
– Judges 10:16 “And His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel”
– Jeremiah 8:21 “For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt.”
– Hosea 11:8 “My heart churns (turns over) within Me; My sympathy is stirred.”
At the base level there must be some movement in the depth of our spirit when we see the suffering of those who now bear the weight of affliction, diseases, brokenness on every side. The inability for a church to be moved can only be attributed to
(1) Ignorance – we don’t know what people are going through.
(2) Hardness of heart – we don’t care what people are going through.
Some churches continue to conduct business as usual when this condition is not present anywhere in the world around them. The church may be the only place that people can find help but when they come to church, they go home with a stone thrown their way instead of bread from heaven. People are in pain. And we should be more of a Trauma Unit on a battlefield and less of a stained glass masquerade.
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