It’s 4:09 AM, But Somewhere Last Night…
Somewhere last night:
- a Nazarene pastor, only guilty of holy love, received news his career was over.
- the devil smiled and demons danced.
- accusers slapped each other on the back and hummed, “We are a glorious church without spot or wrinkle.”
- a smoldering dumpster fire became a consuming fire.
- old clergy wondered why they had spent their lives in the belly of the beast.
- young clergy contemplated their escape plans.
- relieved gatekeepers congratulated the committee for doing what had to be done.
- 100 hymns about love were deleted from the hymnal.
- the doomsday clock in the Church of the Nazarene ticked another minute closer to midnight.
But somewhere last night:
- Jesus wept and the God of love had His heart broken again.
- loving Nazarenes joined their voices with the ancients by the River of Babylon and “wept when we remembered Zion.”
- we wished Nazarenes still focused on saving, not destroying.
- we wanted to keep believing that love still wins and evil won’t.
- love took a hit and faltered, reeled, moved to the back pew.
- God reminded us He IS love.
- And out of the darkness the love of God will shine even brighter.
- I want to believe. Lord help my unbelief.
Randall Hartman