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About a year ago, I was sitting feeding the dog portions of veal cutlet and considering World Hunger, when the ‘phone rang. It was the Limbows who wanted to discuss a small matter with me as a Pastor at Landover. Of course, I invited them round and welcomed them into the visitors’ anteroom.
The problem was rather personal, but under the “Landover Pastors’ Advice Agreement – terms of confidentiality.” I can share it with you.
You may remember that the Limbows already have two children who are subnormal, blind, deaf and dumb, and now wished my advice on trying for a real child. (I'll add here that I have never seen the two creatures as they are not allowed in church because they are so upsetting.)
Now, a Pastor has a duty of care in such circumstances. There is a balance to be made between the duty upon the one hand for a Christian to have his wife bear his sons and, on the other, the lifetime of drudgery, medical bills, equipment costs, transport costs, restricted freedom, absence of social life, sleepless nights, heartache, urine and fecal mess, stress of witnessing constant and unrelenting pain, etc., etc. So, when I heard the words, “Pastor, will God bless us this time?” My reply was, as always:
“God moves in a mysterious way. His Ways are not ours; a life is a blessing no matter what life. Any trials you may go through merely strengthen you and make you better people.
Take your two present gimps. The Almighty Himself has seen fit to present you with a test, are you refusing that test and refusing the Lord? Are you so mistrusting of Jesus that you are here questioning? Or is it reassurance you wish?
If it is reassurance, then I repeat the promise of Jesus that God will never give you more than you can bear and, if you want help, then The Lord is always there to give it. He strengthens your character, He is there as a friend, He is there to lean and rely upon – what more can you need?”
There was the usual pause as all this sank in and Mr Limbow said, “But what if it turns out to be … to be …” He turned to Mrs Limbow and nodded, “…be … like the other two?”
I must admit that I was disappointed that they had obviously not heard a word I was saying but took this in my stride, “Mr & Mrs Limbow, it is your duty to have children – that is why the Lord God created the institution of marriage – not for the slaking of animal lusts! But,” I added thoughtfully, “you probably don’t have any time for that sort of thing between tending to your two daughters’ needs.
Go forth, go forth with my blessing and multiply. That is my advice – all will be well.” And I showed them to the door.
Now, it was a year later that I heard the news that Mr Limbow had shot his wife, his two daughters, the newly born son (who seemed to be suffering the same way as the girls) and then shot himself.
A tragedy. I wept. How is it that people can lose faith so easily? How is it that Satan can ever enter the soul of a Christian? It was quite possible that he was already under Satan's thrall when he spoke to me!
Can anyone explain this?
The problem was rather personal, but under the “Landover Pastors’ Advice Agreement – terms of confidentiality.” I can share it with you.
You may remember that the Limbows already have two children who are subnormal, blind, deaf and dumb, and now wished my advice on trying for a real child. (I'll add here that I have never seen the two creatures as they are not allowed in church because they are so upsetting.)
Now, a Pastor has a duty of care in such circumstances. There is a balance to be made between the duty upon the one hand for a Christian to have his wife bear his sons and, on the other, the lifetime of drudgery, medical bills, equipment costs, transport costs, restricted freedom, absence of social life, sleepless nights, heartache, urine and fecal mess, stress of witnessing constant and unrelenting pain, etc., etc. So, when I heard the words, “Pastor, will God bless us this time?” My reply was, as always:
“God moves in a mysterious way. His Ways are not ours; a life is a blessing no matter what life. Any trials you may go through merely strengthen you and make you better people.
Take your two present gimps. The Almighty Himself has seen fit to present you with a test, are you refusing that test and refusing the Lord? Are you so mistrusting of Jesus that you are here questioning? Or is it reassurance you wish?
If it is reassurance, then I repeat the promise of Jesus that God will never give you more than you can bear and, if you want help, then The Lord is always there to give it. He strengthens your character, He is there as a friend, He is there to lean and rely upon – what more can you need?”
There was the usual pause as all this sank in and Mr Limbow said, “But what if it turns out to be … to be …” He turned to Mrs Limbow and nodded, “…be … like the other two?”
I must admit that I was disappointed that they had obviously not heard a word I was saying but took this in my stride, “Mr & Mrs Limbow, it is your duty to have children – that is why the Lord God created the institution of marriage – not for the slaking of animal lusts! But,” I added thoughtfully, “you probably don’t have any time for that sort of thing between tending to your two daughters’ needs.
Go forth, go forth with my blessing and multiply. That is my advice – all will be well.” And I showed them to the door.
Now, it was a year later that I heard the news that Mr Limbow had shot his wife, his two daughters, the newly born son (who seemed to be suffering the same way as the girls) and then shot himself.
A tragedy. I wept. How is it that people can lose faith so easily? How is it that Satan can ever enter the soul of a Christian? It was quite possible that he was already under Satan's thrall when he spoke to me!
Can anyone explain this?
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