Qualified to serve the Lord

II Chron. 30:15  On the appointed day in mid-spring, one month later than usual, the people slaughtered their Passover lambs.  Then the priests and Levites became ashamed, so they purified themselves and brought burnt offerings to the Temple of the LORD.

Like everybody else, the priests and Levites had lost their connection to God.  They had become careless and quit doing the things they needed to do in order to keep their hearts right with God.  They went through the motions of being who they were. 

Finally the people got the message.  They understood that they had wandered away from God.  They understood their need to return to Him for the forgiveness of sins.  They came together to offer the Passover lambs, which were offered for the forgiveness of sins.  The priests and Levites were designated by God to be the ones who offered up the sacrifices before Him.  But they knew they were not qualified to lead the people into the presence of the Lord.  It was then that they felt the shame of their own sins.  They took care of their own business with God by purifying themselves before they stood in the gap before the people.

There are many within the household of faith whom God has placed in positions of spiritual leadership who have wandered away from God.  Many have sold out to the devil and have forsaken the Lord in their lives.  They go through the motions of leadership, but they are not truly leading people into the presence of God.  Perhaps you are one of them.

Dear friend, if you are a spiritual leader in the household of faith and your heart is not right with God, you need to either return to the Lord for the purification of your heart or you need to get out of your leadership role.  People need the Lord and if you have sin in your heart that keeps you from leading people into a deeper relationship with God, please get out of the way.  People need the Lord, not you.  People need to be able to follow the example of one who is right with the Lord.  Shame on you if you have an unrepentant heart.  Shame on you if you are leading others away from God by the example of the life you live.  Shame on you if don’t practice what you are preaching and teaching.  Return to the Lord whom you profess to love and He will forgive you.