Mess

About two years ago my wife and I went on a cruise and one of the things I noticed is that the crew on the ship never let a mess get started. When you leave the room it's like someone is watching and waiting for you to leave so they can rush in and clean up any mess you may have made. Walk anywhere you want and it is clean; not a mess anywhere to be found. They must have a plan and that plan must be to not let a mess get started and to clean it up fast when there is one. I started thinking if we would watch our lives like that and clean up the mess as we go along then our lives wouldn't become messy. We all would do well if we took this advice! It is easier to keep the heart clean than to clean it after it has been defiled. There are things in our lives that make us feel dirty, ashamed, guilty, and unworthy. It is what God calls sin! Too many times when we mess up we just give up and we just keep giving in and when we should be cleaning up we are making a bigger mess. The garbage just keeps piling up and up until it starts to over flow into others lives. So we say things like "well it's not that bad and anyway everybody else is doing it." My pastor says "keep short accounts with God." What does he mean by that? Simply clean the messes up in your life right away and don't let them grow into bigger messes. Ask God to forgive you and help you not to make that mess again.

1John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Is that not what was happening on that cruise as everyone made a mess; dirty dishes on the table, towels in the floor, soap scum in the shower and here comes that person rushing in to straighten everything up and they never left a note saying "try to be neater and not so messy." No! They forgave us for the mess we made: did I say us? I meant my wife's mess…just kidding! They not only forgave us but they cleaned it all up. That is what our wonderful Savior does; we confess and tell Him about our mess, He forgives us or our mess and then cleanses us. That's why you and I need to keep short accounts with God. Adam and Eve made a mess, but did they run to God? No they ran away from Him and tried to hide. We do the same by telling ourselves no one will ever know; and that may be right but there is one you have forgotten and that is God. You see He is the keeper of creation and the creator of all! He always was, He always is, and He always will be. The world can't understand Him. The armies can't defeat Him. The schools can't explain Him, and the Leaders can't ignore Him. Herod couldn't kill Him, the Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, and the people couldn't hold Him, and you my friend can't hide from Him. So run to Him and be blessed or run and try to hide which is impossible.

Where will you be this Sunday Morning? In Church or hiding out somewhere else? Or so you think!