Strong talk to ministers

Ezekiel 13:5 You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord.

This is certainly a scathing condemnation of spiritual leaders who do not do what they could have and should have done to prepare the people under their care for facing spiritual battles.  Through the years I have observed this kind of minister over and over, in various settings, and have often thought of their spiritual negligence as particularly odorous and this verse reminded me of them.  There are those on television and/or the public eye who fall into this category but I also have seen this on the more personal, local level as Russ and I have visited various churches.  One vivid memory I have is of a minister of a liberal church near us who was visiting with us in our home after we had taken him a meal when he was ill.  After we had talked for a while about God and living the Christian life, he made this comment as he was leaving, "I feel like a Volkswagon with my message of God compared to your Cadillac."  He went on to explain that he had seen and heard from us something more powerful and meaningful spiritually than he had to offer to his congregation.  We know that those ministers who fall into this category of those who have not brought people a true message from God will have to answer to God, but in the meantime, I can only trust God’s justice and mercy to bring a true message to the people under those ministers’ care who are truly seeking to know and grow.