Thursday, October 02, 2008

Broken-hearted

Ryan, our associate pastor, asked last night, "What breaks your heart?" I didn't have to think long about it. I had no less than three different women talk to me last night about how their marriages are falling apart. Two are already at the divorce stage, and the third is at the pain, discouragement and hopeless stage.

I found myself close to tears on the way to work this morning. The only thing that kept me from it is my fear that if I started I could not stop. I would be a crying wreck all day. This rips me up. Why is there divorce in the church? I'm not saying that I don't understand why these individuals are having problems, just that most of the time it is so preventable. If we can learn how to live out our faith in our own homes, and to display the sacrificial love of Christ with each other, there is no need for this. My compassion for these folks is huge, because I truly understand the depth of pain that a broken relationship causes, but I also understand the healing that can come through Christ.

Another thing that breaks my heart. In the news there is the story of Trinity Missionary Baptist Church which has had such intense altercations in the church that the police have been called. One source said the police had been there nine times!! I am sick about it. Sick! There have been both physical and verbal altercations.

It breaks my heart and makes me angry. How do we as the Christian community step in and help these people and this sick and broken church body to be restored? Someone tell me please.