There But For The Grace Of God Go I

Today, for the first time, I read some of the details about Ravi Zacharias’ sexual misconduct. It is so ugly, evil, tragic and sad. Too tragic and painful for me to describe here. I think about all of the victims. Women he seduced in one way or another. His own family. Those who trusted him as a man of God and teacher of God’s word.

But one of the first thoughts that pops into my mind is: “There but for the grace of God go I.” Who am I to sit here and call him a hypocrite and say that his money, fame and pride led to his downfall?

I too lusted. I too became controlled by my desires. I will never know why I looked at pornography but never sought out prostitutes. Somehow God never let me go that far. What I did was bad enough. My betrayal over three decades took a heavy toll on my wife. I’m ashamed to say that as a pastor and preacher I engaged in my habitual sin multitudes of times. Who knows what evils I would be capable of practicing given the right situation? I know I was always afraid of being found out. If I had known I could get away with it, what might I have done?

Today I believe that if my sins have served any good purpose, it is to teach me to be humble. My own terrible sins make it clear that I need the Lord every day. I ask him to keep me vigilant. I pray that he will always remind me that it is only when I am weak and seek his help, that I can find true strength.

May I always be grateful to the Lord for His mercy and grace in rescuing the perishing. I was lost and he found me. I was dying and he gave me life.

Millions are caught up in pornography and other sexual sins today. It is a deadly pandemic. Others are being swallowed up by materialism or other sinful desires. May we reach out to those who are lost today – before it is too late for them and before they hurt any more people. May you and I who have been shown grace and mercy, extend grace and mercy to those who need the marvelous light of the Lord of Life.