I Can't Believe What I Heard

I Can’t Believe I Heard What I Heard

I was going to do a follow-up email to yesterday’s teaching from Anne Graham Lotz, but I am too fired up about something to just let this one go.

One of my pet peeves about blogging, Facebook, Twitter, is that many people use these platforms as a means to vent and tear down ministries and people. Some feel it is their responsibility to scrutinize every jot and tittle, and hear me – we need folks that will help to keep us from drifting off course. Sometimes I wish that these well-meaning folks would be balanced and blog and journal about people who are doing and saying the right things rather than to use their audience as a bully pulpit.

I have tried to not use the Freedom Fighter platform to express my personal views on politics and my personal “hobby horses.”  But this one I can’t let go.

Some of you have read the remarks that Pat Robertson made last week suggesting that a spouse who has a spouse with Alzheimer’s is free to divorce that individual because this disease really is like a death. I have to confess – I almost came unglued.

Where in the world did he come up with this teaching from the Word of God? Before I put something in print, I did write to the folks at CBN to make sure that this was really what was said and not just some individual who thought they heard something he said and running with it.

CBN did confirm that this is what Pat Robertson believes! Maybe I am more sensitive to this issue because I live in a community that is filled with senior citizens. These folks are my friends, my prayer partners, my supporters. I have watched countless numbers of these precious saints who have lovingly supporter their loved one and honored their marriage vows that say “What God has joined together, let no man put asunder.” They have followed through on their commitment that said “till death do us part!”

If I follow through Pat’s line of thinking, does this now give a spouse who has a mate living out life in a nursing home, who may be clinically brain dead and in a coma, the freedom to divorce that mate?

I would love for Pat to meet Dr. Robertson McQuilken, one of my heroes of the faith, who stepped down from his role as the President of Columbia Bible College, now Columbia International University. He lovingly cared for his wife, Muriel, for 25 years. Check out her obituary: A Promise Kept.

Me thinks it would be the right thing for Mr. Robertson to correct his statement on national TV and make this right. I don’t see that happening, but I pray that he will.

For those of you who have family members who are struggling with Alzheimer’s, know this: I applaud you, support you and will pray for you. May God give you the strength and grace to finish well. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: John 1:1-14; Psalm 77; Proverbs 22

Compass Pointers: The open door does not necessarily mean the easy pathway. G. Campbell Morgan 

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: John 10:10; Level 2: John 10:7-18

Anchored to the Rock: The purpose of prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven, but to get God’s will done on earth. Warren Wiersbe