God Uses Whomever He Wants
"By the grace of God and these two revolvers, I am going to preach here today"
-John Chivington
Today is the anniversary of the battle of Glorietta Pass, called "the Gettysburg of the West." One of the pivotal figures in the battle was the Rev. Colonel John Chivington, a Methodist-minister-slash-Union-soldier who led a surprise attack on the Confederate forces, winning the pass for the Union.
"The Fighting Parson," as he was called, was a pretty controversial figure. After becoming a minister at only 23, he worked hard as a fronteir minister- basically what today we'd call a church planter. He willingly did whatever work his church called him to. He preached the Gospel in Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, and as a missionary to Native Ameicans in Kansas. He was a dogged abolitionist- his church made him leave Missouri because of the trouble he was causing there- and remains an American war hero. However, his public reputation was ruined when he took part in the disgusting massacre of Cheyenne Indians at Sand Creek. His public statements about the Cherokee (which you can find on the linked page) weren't exactly loving, either.
What a man! What a cruel, terrible, powerful, amazing man! When I first read his story, I was pretty thoroughly disgusted. How could a man like that have a pious bone in his body? But then I thought about it a little more.
You know, my dad almost named me after Joab instead of Jacob. Joab was the nephew of King David and commander of his army. He was a lot like Rev Chivington: stubborn, loud, and absolutely committed to what he believed in, whether it was good or bad. He is a conflicted figure. He was David's loyal general; but for Joab, loyalty meant giving the King what he needed, not what he waned. Joab killed at least two men, one of them David's own (manipulative, usurping) son, against David's wishes. When David mourned for his son Absalom, Joab publically rebuked him for being so soft on a rebel; but later, Joab sided with another of David's sons, Adonijah, in a bit to usurp the throne. One of David's deathbed wishes to his son Solomon was to have Joab killed.
Joab was a wild man, intemperate and cruel. But it's hard to say whether David would have remained king if not for Joab. The unruly son of Zeruiah was God's man for the hour; to this day, he's one of the most memorable figures in the history of God's people.
Neither Joab and John Chivington were kind of person you'd want in your pulpit. Or on your church board. Or in your church at all, for that matter. To which God says, Too bad.
Sometimes I look at myself, and I think, wow, he's not the kind of person I'd want in my church, either. Why would God possibly make me as impatient, inconsistent, lazy, impious, and unruly as I am? I'd rather be someone else. To which God says again, Too bad.
Joab was God's man for the hour- not just inspite of, but because of, his flaws. Do you believe that you are?
O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
-John Chivington
Today is the anniversary of the battle of Glorietta Pass, called "the Gettysburg of the West." One of the pivotal figures in the battle was the Rev. Colonel John Chivington, a Methodist-minister-slash-Union-soldier who led a surprise attack on the Confederate forces, winning the pass for the Union.
"The Fighting Parson," as he was called, was a pretty controversial figure. After becoming a minister at only 23, he worked hard as a fronteir minister- basically what today we'd call a church planter. He willingly did whatever work his church called him to. He preached the Gospel in Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, and as a missionary to Native Ameicans in Kansas. He was a dogged abolitionist- his church made him leave Missouri because of the trouble he was causing there- and remains an American war hero. However, his public reputation was ruined when he took part in the disgusting massacre of Cheyenne Indians at Sand Creek. His public statements about the Cherokee (which you can find on the linked page) weren't exactly loving, either.
What a man! What a cruel, terrible, powerful, amazing man! When I first read his story, I was pretty thoroughly disgusted. How could a man like that have a pious bone in his body? But then I thought about it a little more.
You know, my dad almost named me after Joab instead of Jacob. Joab was the nephew of King David and commander of his army. He was a lot like Rev Chivington: stubborn, loud, and absolutely committed to what he believed in, whether it was good or bad. He is a conflicted figure. He was David's loyal general; but for Joab, loyalty meant giving the King what he needed, not what he waned. Joab killed at least two men, one of them David's own (manipulative, usurping) son, against David's wishes. When David mourned for his son Absalom, Joab publically rebuked him for being so soft on a rebel; but later, Joab sided with another of David's sons, Adonijah, in a bit to usurp the throne. One of David's deathbed wishes to his son Solomon was to have Joab killed.
Joab was a wild man, intemperate and cruel. But it's hard to say whether David would have remained king if not for Joab. The unruly son of Zeruiah was God's man for the hour; to this day, he's one of the most memorable figures in the history of God's people.
Neither Joab and John Chivington were kind of person you'd want in your pulpit. Or on your church board. Or in your church at all, for that matter. To which God says, Too bad.
Sometimes I look at myself, and I think, wow, he's not the kind of person I'd want in my church, either. Why would God possibly make me as impatient, inconsistent, lazy, impious, and unruly as I am? I'd rather be someone else. To which God says again, Too bad.
Joab was God's man for the hour- not just inspite of, but because of, his flaws. Do you believe that you are?
O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?