Christ's Mercy In Times of Need

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

This past week, a friend and member of our church came to me, a man who has been among our most faithful brothers. I was deeply saddened to hear him confess that he had sinned by taking another wife. His first marriage has been troubled for a long time. The struggles have become increasingly difficult. My own feeble efforts to intervene have not proven very helpful. So, even though he knew it was wrong, he followed the counsel of the community elders rather than the commands of Christ. In Karimojong culture, the way to deal with a troublesome wife is to take another one. So they pressured him. So he did. And he did so without mentioning a thing to me. Events developed quickly while I was away on a trip down country.

I was happy that at least he came and confessed this rather than trying to keep it a secret. What was disturbing was his comment to the effect that he did not want to be like others in this regard. How many others in our church have committed the same sin but have yet to come forward?! Just today I sat down with another, one who has been something of a wayward brother in that for a long time his church attendance has been sporadic at best. He too confessed that he has taken a second wife.

These events have led to feelings of discouragement and failure as strong as I have ever felt them. I just broke down and wept one day as I was walking down to preach and pray for patients at the Clinic. But amidst my feelings of despair, I was blessed to again come across those words in Hebrews 4:16, which I shared with the Mission during our Sunday afternoon fellowship. The grace of Christ is always wonderful and amazing. But we feel it the most when we feel our need of it the most. The throne of Christ is indeed a place where wounded, weak and needy sinners find all-sufficient mercy and grace.

I am thankful that these two brothers are both telling me that they wish to confess their sin publicly and to be made right before Christ and his church. Please pray that this would be true Holy Spirit wrought repentance. Pray as well for others who might be keeping their sins secret from their church. And pray for much wisdom and grace for us to know how to be faithful shepherds of Christ’s sheep during this process. We know that God can work through the most sinful actions to bring about great good. Pray that He might use this to bring forth good fruit in the lives of many for His glory.

In Christ,

Dave