She is able to direct her question in a careful manner, “I know that often you hear things that no one else hears. You are often the first consideration of those desperately seeking refuge, whether it be physical, emotional, or spiritual. Has anyone come to you seeking help?”
The priest laughs, “Well, yes. Everyone seems to fit one of those categories.”
Rebekkah doesn’t know what she'd expected. She has to get to the point, “Okay, I’ll be more specific. Someone escaped from a Michigan prison and we have reason to believe they may be in this area.”
The priest explains, “Our town is close knit in many ways. We are not too large that things happen without at least someone knowing about it. And our town certainly is not exempt from many of the same things that happen in large cities. Yes, there are times only I know about such things. But you must understand, people come to me to confide in me. I cannot discuss those matters with you. You must understand.”
Rebekkah does understand. But it doesn’t make her any less mad. Yet, she has to consider who she is really mad at. When everything seems to go wrong, it’s because of a world of wrong. Thankfully though, we have a God of restoration.
Rebekkah sits outside on the church steps, contemplating all this. Restoration . . .isn’t that what everyone wants? Sadly enough . . .no, it isn’t.
Who will come to confess their sin? Rebekkah hopes the priest has many who will return to private confessions today. Let the guilt provide a few more moments of torment. Perhaps multiple confessions will be in order.
Rebekkah hopes she is not the only one who feels this way.
The priest holds private confessions. Slowly, people arrive. Rebekkah thinks of the various atrocities that are committed each day. Those who commit them, have obviously moved far from God. Or could they possibly follow God, yet have an area of their life unresolved? And how long would it be unresolved? Rebekkah reflects on her own shortcomings, her own sins. With God, there is no small sin or big sin, it's all the same. It all fits into the category of …sin.
How easy it can be to drift away from God when we are not being held accountable …when we live in a society that does not guide us in attempts to achieve accountability. When we hold our own standard, interpretations of truth vary greatly. And by letting one of these variations get a foothold, which is a weakness by our very nature, we make it nearly impossible to surrender ourselves to Him.
Rebekkah has her Bible with her. She reads the end of the Book of Judges. Then she considers the things that even a man such as the beloved King David finds opportunity to commit. Sin and the occasions for it, never find themselves lacking. But the inclination to own up to it, becomes increasingly difficult. Yet, if we truly seek truth and the value of it, God will restore us, just as He restored King David.
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