Laid Low in the Dust

Psalm 119:25-32
I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word. I recounted my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees. Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders. My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD; do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.

We’ve all been here, haven’t we? Big or small, our mistakes have a wonderful way of humbling us – “laying us low in the dust.” I was just there, as you know, and am still working my way out. God has definitely “preserved my life according to His Word.” Praise His holy name!

Tonight, this makes me think of Rev. Ted Haggard, who I really don’t know much about apart from the media frenzy that has surrounded him the last couple of days. He was, apparently, a very influential Christian leader, and it has been discovered that he has been maintaining a secret homosexual relationship for quite a while. In his apology to his church, he wrote “there is a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I have been warring against it for all of my adult life.”

I’m sure there are many Christians who are outraged, repulsed, and many other descriptive words over this whole incident. I, myself, am sad and so sorry for Mr. Haggard and his family. He was in Satan’s crosshairs, and like so many of us, he went down when he was hit. I think those of us who can see our own “repulsive and dark” sides will be sad for him and his family. Everyone else, well, in my opinion they are just turning a blind eye to their “repulsive and dark” side, because we all have them.

That is why we must be in the Word, not just for study, not just for discussion or to mark it off our list of things to do. No, we need to be consuming the Word, and letting its fire consume us. We need to ask God to preserve our lives and to strengthen us according to His Word. And when we see a brother or sister fall, we need to get down in the dust with them, take an elbow and help to lift them to their feet again. If it wasn’t them, it may have been us.

You see, it is in keeping our eyes on Christ and in the Word that we keep ourselves from worshiping and idolizing our Christian leaders. Then, if they stumble, rather than being disappointed and discouraged in our faith, we can simply walk beside them remembering that they are made out of dust, just like you and me. We can encourage them, and help to restore them.

Let’s pray for Rev. Haggard and his family – pray that God would preserve their lives, and strengthen them; pray that God would use this for His great glory, redeeming this situation in ways you and I could never imagine! And let’s pray for any other brothers or sisters who have fallen prey to the enemy’s flaming arrows – so swift and accurate. I pray that it not be one of us next time.