How should I be thinking about the prominent pastors who are falling into the grave or into sin? I am deeply concerned for the kingdom of God.
I enter into your distress and acknowledge your concern. With regard to death, we truly grieve. With regard to sin, we never gloat. Concerning the kingdom, we never despair.
When faithful men are called home, we might say as David did in his day, ‘a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel’ (2 Samuel 3:38). It is right to acknowledge that the Lord gave a particular gift to his church; also to accept that the Lord has taken away and to say with Job, ‘Blessed be the name of the Lord!’ (Job 1:21).
I think that this is particularly appropriate where there is a genuine personal connection. When the cause of Christ is betrayed in some way, David’s painful grief in Psalm 55:13-14 directs us, again compounded by closer association. But how should we respond as some of these distresses strike us in series?
