Another Star Falls

He has been preceded by many others – athletes, presidents, ministers – who first denied any wrongdoing, then confessed, seeking forgiveness. This week the confession came from Lance Armstrong, All-American boy, seven-time winner of the Tour de France, Olympic medal winner, Cancer survivor. And now he will forever be known as a liar, a cheat, a fraud, a fake, a one-time hero, now disgraced. Forgiveness? Yes, he will ask for it and receive it from many, perhaps most. We tend to forgive our heroes, because somehow it makes our own shortcoming seem less devastating. Plus the Bible features forgiveness early on (Genesis 3). But it also features punishment and discipline, then restoration. One can be forgiven by God, friends and society, but the consequences of the wrong, endure forever. For Lance Armstrong, the future of his forgiven state will cost him millions in endorsements, legal expenditures, speaking honorariums, but more, it will cost him in reputation, in status, in identity. Who will fall next? You? Me? John Bradford, an English Reformer and martyr in the fifteen hundreds, was best remembered for his utterance “‘There, but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford”. Thank God for grace, but let us never forget that in an instant, in a weak moment, it could be us. While we might not make the front page of the newspaper or the 10pm news, we would lose it all (or most of it) – family, position, possessions, reputation. Most of all, we would stand in need of forgiveness and restoration. Today, there stands Lance Armstrong. Tomorrow . . .?

Join me this week in remembering the following global prayer concerns:
• Pray for the Children’s Ministry of Macau Baptist Church as the children become the next Christian generation in the country of Macau.
• Pray for Brad and Rhonda as they seek to raise financial support to start a church in the Steveston Village area of metro Vancouver, Canada.
• Pray for Patricia as she spends valuable time at home in Texas from her assignment in Cameroon.
• Pray for ESL classes that start up again this week in Croatia.
• Mary has arrived in Jordan to begin her 18-month apprentice term. Pray for her as she adjusts to a new place of service, transportation system, Arabic language, culture and ministry.