My Heart Aches

My heart aches today. It aches for a nation, for a people who once loved God; a people who once trusted the God of all creation and surrendered to His will—people who once believed. My heart grieves for our president and leaders of this great nation who have rejected the love of God; who have rejected His Lordship. My grief and frustration does not lie so much with them as it does with those of us who believe and who have sat on the sidelines and not spoken the truth in love: Christian leaders who have watered down the gospel and the Word, which has all come at such a great cost to so many, and for what purpose?—and those who proclaim belief, yet are wolves in sheep's clothing leading people astray, doing ungodly works in the name of a Holy God. I am frustrated with myself for falling into the trap of complacency, the trap that keeps me focused on my world while neglecting the people and the purpose God has called us to: "the making of disciples." "To those who have filled their purses in the name of the Lord, you have your reward." You who have used the name of God for your own personal and selfish gain, "you have your reward." For those who have sought the glory for themselves, repent. Now is the time to repent. Repentance begins with us leaders, true repentance, and a true anguish over our nation and the sin we have allowed to become accepted even in the church. We must repent for filling our purses and for receiving the glory and honor due only to God—repentance for looking to man for the glory. We need repentance for neglecting the orphans and widows, the downtrodden, the lost and broken, and repentance for not loving the sheep enough to protect them from the wolves; repentance for fear of man, repentance for hypocrisy, repentance for sin. Revival, true revival, can only come through true repentance. "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14). The prescription is simple: seek God. Repent and turn away, and then our God will restore us and not until then. It begins with me—it begins with you, and so on. May it begin today! Pastor Gene Burroughs, Missio Dei Navarre