ALL THINGS TOGETHER

Recently I was told about an article in the Baptist Press regarding Ted Haggard, a prominent minister, whose sins were exposed for all the world to read about and hear about. That article dealt with some wise thoughts on forgiveness and judgement. Some felt it was horrific timing because of the election. Personally, I don't think there is any time that is a good time to have our depraved nature made public. It's hard enough to confess our sins to our brothers and sisters in Christ. But to be put on display for the entire world, saved and unsaved? Well that is the ultimate humiliation. Some have said this casts a terrible light on Christianity in general and ministers in particular.

As I consider the situation, I see it this way. Satan and his demons are in God's created world doing what they were given power to do by the Holy Almighty God. They are here ruling over our world. They are tempting, deceiving and preying upon every weakness we as human beings have. We, as born again believers, must live in the world even as we are set apart from the world. (All the more reason to put on the whole armor of God every day.)

We, in our born-again spirit, will always battle the flesh. Our flesh and The Spirit are at war. So at times we lose the battle to our fleshly sinful nature. Someday we will battle the flesh no longer. We will die, our flesh will return to dust, and our spirit will be all that is left. And praise the Lord for that!

Jesus, in His humble obedience to the Father, conquered death and wiped out Sin. His death on the cross took all our sins upon Himself....paid the penalty for our sins and attoned for our wretchedness. It amazes me that He did that and took care of it, paid the penalty for it...long before I was even a thought in my parents minds. (which I wasn't, because my mother tried to abort me before I was born...so she had no desire that I see the light of day).

I don't know Ted's heart. But God does. I don't even always know my heart. The Spirit reveals things to me all the time that I am amazed is in my heart. But any goodness is definitely not of me. Apart from Jesus, I am nothing. What He chooses to do through me, is again His doing. So what Ted did in his basement 21 years ago that grew to the mega-14,000-member church, was not of Ted but of God.

Sometimes we fail to remember that. We are the servants. We plant. We water. But God gives the increase. We are called to be faithful to Him. Some of we faithful do far more than Ted did, yet never see the fruit of our labor. Perhaps that is because God knows how proud we are....I have no idea. All I know is that He calls us to be faithful to what He calls US to do. I can't be faithful for Ted. I can't be faithful for you. I can only be faithful for me. And I admit, I do a pretty poor job of that.

On the flip side, some of us do far worse than Ted has done and it is never revealed to public scrutiny. We wallow in guilt and misery and fear. I say all that to say this. I don't know what God is going to do with the Ted Haggard situation. All I know is that God always makes something work to His glory. I hate to see any Christian brother or sister find themselves in the place of complete humiliation. But then again, I think that is what we all need. Broken humiliation. Because until we are all broken and exposed for who and what we really are...God is not satisfied with us.

May God heal the heartache in all the hearts who are close to Ted Haggard's life. May God gain glory and honor and praise for what will come from this. May I not be found gloating or judging or piously praising the Lord that I am not like Ted Haggard or the man who exposed him. May I abide in the Vine and allow Him to flow through my branches and produce the fruit that only He can produce. And may all we do as brothers and sisters in Christ point others to Him as He seeks to work all things together for His glory. [copyrighted, 2006, SelahV]