Intercessor's Heart for Matt

I can’t stop thinking about them.

I don’t know them. I have seen pictures only a couple of times. But the daughter’s face sticks in my head like no other this week. I cannot get them out of my mind ever since we heard the news about Matt. I was devastated to hear that his tumor was malignant and not encapsulated. But I don’t even know him.

Probably a year ago some friends told us about Matt Chandler, a pastor from Village Church, in Texas. They were listening to his sermons online and I joined in on the hype to see what he was all about. Recently Jason and I were driving to Cannon Beach for the second year in a row in the month of October and as we came along a certain stretch of highway I said to him, “Hey, this is where we were when I first heard a Matt Chandler sermon last year.” He must have made an impression. Because my memory is atrocious.

Why am I so attached to this family’s story in their struggle? Because I have three children too? Because we are about the same age? I know there’s more. There are a handful of influential pastors in this country who I respect with all my heart because they are first and foremost in love with Jesus and the authenticity of the Bible. I wish I could replicate who they are and how they teach and place them in every church in America.

I was also struck by the truth that the gospel has so become the central love and gift of my life that anyone who raises up the gospel of Jesus with all sincerity and truth is a hero of mine. Matt is one of these. Though I don’t know him. Many withhold true words about the gospel and Jesus. But he does not. And I treasure his ministry for this, just as I treasure our church and our Pastor Mark Driscoll. This is a testimony to the gospel, the truth that Jesus came to save me, and that this is what I believe with all my heart and what matters to me most. And out of this comes a gratitude unsurpassed for the pastors in my life, including my husband, who speak truth into my life and point me to Christ to find my identity and all of my hope.

I was so consumed yet again this morning with the faces of his family. I was praying for his children this morning, as they had asked, that they would know how to process and that their hearts would not become embittered. I especially prayed that their little daughter, whose face cannot escape my mind, would be a great joy to them because of her naivity in being able to comprehend what is happening to her father.

I couldn’t help but ask the Lord why in the world he would have this happen to this particular man. I still have some false theology in my heart that rises up when things like this happen and say, “But HE is one of the GOOD guys out there!” I want to convince God of Matt’s goodness and that he doesn’t deserve this. I think of countless other pastors who I’d rather this happen to. (I know, I didn’t say these thoughts were godly). But the truth remains that none of us were righteous without Christ, not one. Romans 3. But with Christ we have all been made right before God and are in perfect standing with him. And even if someone does not know Christ, He is patient with them for salvation (2 Peter 3:9) and he still pours the rain/blessings on the righteous and unrighteous alike because of his loving common good. “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matt 4:45). And he allows trials to come into our lives for purposes we may not be able to understand. “In this (the living hope through Jesus) you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7)

It’s so crazy to read that last verse because that is what Matt talks about in his video. He held up one fist and said praising God when life is good is one thing. Then he held up his other fist to represent his new life, saying that it’s a whole other thing to praise God in the middle of something incredibly difficult. And he counts it an honor to praise God in this. Ah! Who says that? Jesus you have made this man a new creation, a glory for your praise. It’s crazy wonderful.

My soul is settled with these verses somewhat though I am sad and prayerful and ALSO HOPEFUL for a miracle. I am praying that God’s purposes are to display him for his glory in this trial but to sustain his life for ministry and for his sweet family.