Pastoral Words

At times like these, the most meaningful words to me have been, "I'm sorry and I'm praying for you." I remember nine years ago when my oldest sister Lara lost their 7-hour-old baby, Carrie, I learned a valuable lesson from her. She said, "Seth, as a pastor who is caring for people who hurt, simply say 'I'm sorry and I'm praying for you.'" It's been an invaluable lesson that has proven beneficial to me. Now I know better what she meant then. She went on to say that her faith was true, but she didn't want to hear long discourses or cliches in that moment. She just wanted to know people were praying for her and her family and that they loved her.

Thanks to all of you who have spoken and written words to us as the Lord has led you. From this simple phrase to the longer ones that expressed the same sentiments, I have heard loudly all of our friends and family saying, "we love you and are praying for you."

That said, I am especially thankful for the pastors in my life. I've been blessed to know a number of men who faithfully shepherd the flock and teach the Word. I got a call from one of my pastors, Howard Dial, who I grew up under and later served alongside. His voicemail was rich because in his tone I could hear the hurt that he was shouldering with us. Another pastor that I served alongside of, Russ Butcher, called and spoke in a likewise manner. I could hear in his tone the genuine care and concern for Leslie and me. And that really means something after eight plus years since we worked together. My boss, when he got the news, called me into his office. Unrushed by pressing issues, he listened to me, asked questions, spoke words of encouragement and prayed with me. Then my "big" boss, Dr. Kooistra, called me and left a voicemail that was again characterized by such deep sympathy, and in his case empathy. His wife has been fighting cancer for years. My pastor, Ralph Johnston, also called me and expressed deep care an love for Leslie and our family. I have never been more thankful for the men God has called to shepherd His flock.

Today I received a similar email from my former pastor, Alan Foster. It's strange to say former because we have just in the past few weeks left his church, East Lanier, to go with his Associate, Ralph, to plant a new church. Alan and his wife Kim came into our lives at such a critical time for us. Although it was short I will always be thankful to the two of them for their care for us. Alan wrote,
As I began praying for you this morning, after receiving your e-mail, my heart broke for you.  Y’all have been through so much, and yet God has placed another rock in your backpack.  I wish I knew why, but then I’m not sure if it would make much difference if I did.  God has his ways and his reasons.  Even if we knew them, we would still have to endure the plan he has for us.  And knowing why without being able to reason our way out of the trial might be even more difficult.
There’s a great little Banner of Truth booklet by John Murray (not the late Westminster professor, but a minister in Scotland) entitled Behind a Frowning Providence, the title taken from William Cowper’s hymn God Moves in a Mysterious Way.  Here is a quote from chapter 4. "One of the most difficult things to do when the road is rough or when the billows are passing over us is to feel that God still loves us.  It is the last thing we can accept.  But we are not called to feel; we are called to believe.  In his book, In All Their Afflictions, Murdoch Campbell tells of a minister in the north of Scotland who suddenly lost his spiritually-minded wife.  As he prayed that night in the presence of friends he said, “If an angel from heaven told me that this would work for my good I would not believe him but because thy Word says it I must believe it.” 

We are to measure God’s love not by his providence but by his promise.  “When we cannot trace God’s hand we can trust God’s heart,” says C.H. Spurgeon.  When providences are dark it is difficult to read them.  It is the Word that tells us how to view them.Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,But trust him for his grace;Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face."

Keep in mind that God always moves more in our confusion that he does in our certainty.  We always learn and experience more of the character of God when the night is dark and the path is treacherous than we do when we have answers to all of our questions.  In fact, I believe that there are things about God that we will never know and never experience except through suffering.  And so we have to keep telling ourselves that God is simply not afraid of bringing suffering into our lives.  He doesn’t think that we are fragile.  He really doesn’t.  Seth, somehow God feels you are up for this, because He has promised to not give you more than you can handle.  God feels that you have everything it takes—through his Word and his Spirit and his People—to declare him as both sovereign and gracious through the life situations he has given you.  You have everything it takes for you to resist Satan and entrust yourself to God and follow his commands and believe in his goodness and humble yourself under his mighty hand and rejoice during whatever trial He brings into your life.  God has great confidence in you, because he has great confidence in his Son and in the spiritual resources that he has given you, through the cross and the gospel and the promises of his Word.The disciples rejoiced because they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ (Acts 5:41).  And there is great truth to the fact that we share in Christ’s sufferings (Phil. 3:10; 1 Peter 4:13).  Peter even tells us that suffering has a deeply sanctifying effect on us, to the point of causing us to cease from sin (1 Peter 4:1-2; I couldn’t resist a quote from 1 Peter).  I am not where you are, by God’s design, but the same God who has brought this suffering into your life is also my Father.  I have had times in my life where I have looked over the edge into the great, dark abyss of unanswered questions and heart turmoil.  I still don’t have answers but I do have Jesus.  Suffering has a way of keeping that statement from becoming a cliché.  “Every work of Christ towards his people carries something more great and precious in the bosom of it than we are capable at the time of understanding.”  --Ralph Erskine
Kim and I are with you and Leslie.
The pastoral words I have received are worth more than gold. I can relate better with David how God's word drips as with the sweetness of honey and is richly nourishing to the soul. Thank you, men, for your faithful shepherding and your good words to us.

Today has been a good day for us. Leslie and I have been able to accomplish many of the things we needed to in preparation for the days ahead. Please keep praying and sharing your words of encouragement with us and with others. God is being glorified in this! Tomorrow, Monday morning at 10, we meet with the surgeon, Pris Strom. We will update you as soon as we learn more during that appointment.