Messy!

Ministry isn't ministry unless it's messy! Words from a great friend in ministry and the longer I am involved in ministry the more true his words ring!

Why is that? Well, I guess because I'm broken living in a broken world - albeit living with the certain hope of restoration when Jesus returns to set wrong to right!

My kitchen floor needs to be mopped sometime today. It's on my list! The reason it needs to be mopped is because I track in dirt, I spill stuff and so does the other person who lives with me.

My car needs to be detailed - something that hasn't happened in its entire second-hand life - because I use it and stuff happens inside and out!

And relationships - now there's an area to explore! There is conflict and hurt and pain, words spoken intentionally or with oblivion that hurt just the same and more!

There is time misspent so there is not time for anything but the tyranny of the urgent!

And there are all kinds of other examples from my world - and, my guess is, from your world as well! There is eating too much or too little, sleeping too much or too little, spending too much time or too little time with or for someone or something and the list goes on!

In a word - MESSY!

The good news is that the Bible is filled with stories of men and women just like me - people whose story reveals wrong choices and messy relationships. The Bible does not record the stories of people who always do right and make good choices. In fact, the reason men and women like Adam and Eve, King David, Ruth and Esther, Mary Magdeline, Peter and many more speak to my heart is that they look a little or a lot like me! They look so familiar because they are. They look a lot like me - the good, the bad and the ugly!

The BIG difference between MY story and the Bible is that the Bible isn't just a historical record tho' it is that - the Bible is actually God's story. The Bible is the story of how God the Creator and Savior of the World stepped into our time and space (moved into our neighborhood) and even put on our skin. God's story is about love and forgiveness and intentional mercy and grace! And God's story endures despite all my messiness because God's story doesn't depend on me in any way to survive and expand. God's story endures not because I am worthy or faithful but rather because He is! AND He always will be as long as time endures and forever! AND thankfully there is NOTHING I can do to mess that up! Wow!

The Ultimate Bad Choice!

The beautiful world God made was perfect - a garden so incredible that even God Himself like to come from heaven and take evening walks there! God walked with His friends - Adam and Eve. (Gen. 3:8) It was an awesome life! Think of it! God and man and NO barrier between - pretty spectacular!
Before woman, God gave Adam operating instructions for life in this wonderful garden: work with your hands in the dirt and keep the garden beautiful. God gave Adam just one little rule: The tree in the middle of the garden - the Tree-of-the-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil - DON'T eat from it! If you do, you're dead! (Gen. 2:15-17)
But there was just one little problem - a crafty, nasty charmer named "Snake" (the devil in disguise) snuck into the garden one day. He went straight to the woman and worked her over good! He knew she hadn't heard God's instructions first-hand so he started hissing and twisting God's instruction about the tree. (Gen. 2:16)
Snake: What is this about God telling you not to eat from any tree in this garden?!
Woman: No, not at all! We can eat from all the trees except for that one tree in the middle of the garden. It is the kiss of death to eat its fruit.
Snake: That's ridiculous! You won't die! You'll just know what's really going on. You'll know as much as God does - even all the secrets of good and evil.
Then the story continues, ...the woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of it - she'd know everything! (Gen.3:6, The Message)
Well, it's not hard to imagine what happened next. The woman grabbed a piece of fruit from the forbidden tree, took a hasty bite and handed Adam the fruit. He bit too!
It was the untimate bad choice! In the worst possible way it was a defining moment! Immediately the two of them did see what's really going on ... (Gen. 3:7)
Adam and Eve knew they were naked and were ashamed. In the flash of a moment's very bad choice life changed forever! Everything in creation broke in that one terrible cosmic moment - including their friendship with God! Adam and Eve knew they were busted!
They made the ultimate bad choice and now everything is broken and needs fixed!
Lord Jesus, I make lots of bad choices just like Adam and Eve. I need YOU to help me! I need YOU to change my heart!