I messed up!

I messed up!

Ps 9:7 God holds the high center, he sees and sets the world's mess right.

I bet that subject in the email got your attention!

Have you ever used the expression, “What a mess I made?” Have you ever felt like your life is a mess? We recognize there are things that happen to us in life that we cannot control. These things can make life messy. But what about when you do something that messes up your life? How do you handle it? I want to help you through your “mess ups.”

Let’s face it, if you have not already made a mess sometime in life, you will.

Now, I am not making light of bad decision making and irresponsible behavior. But even with the best intentions of making your life better or even helping someone else you make a mess. I have learned, “good intentions never make up for bad direction.” You may have heard “the road to hell is lined with good intentions.” It is sad, but true. When we see our life going in the wrong direction there is only one answer. We need to turn it around. However, we are broken people in a broken world. Who among us has never messed up? It the very reason we needed a Savior.

It is so easy to give people advice when they mess up. It is easy to point the finger to the obvious and say, “Well you should have done this!” It is easy to tell people when they mess up “Don’t expect God to get you of this one” and “there are consequences to your decisions!” Well, alas, it is true. Some “messes” people make is getting into dead-end jobs or getting into bad relationships or marriages. Maybe you messed up you and your family’s finances. You got into to college and got caught up in the wrong crowd and failed some courses. The list is endless of mess ups.

But who knows what God will do? I don’t want to take away from correction or good advice. God know we need it and need to love rebuke. But Proverbs 25:20 also says, “Singing light songs to the heavyhearted is like pouring salt in their wounds.” In other words, when people are depressed because of the messes of life and we are insensitive, it does much damage. What if God want to rescue you out of trouble? What if he allowed this to show you how powerful he is to deliver you?

Don’t be hopeless and in despair. God specializes in cleaning up messes. He uses even our mistakes and problems for good and to make us like Jesus.

First, when you mess up… look up! Time to pray! “I run for dear life to God, I'll never live to regret it. Do what you do so well: get me out of this mess and up on my feet…” Ps 71:1-2 Also in Ps 30:1-3 he says,” I give you all the credit, God — you got me out of that mess, you didn't let my foes gloat. God, my God, I yelled for help and you put me together. God, you pulled me out of the grave, gave me another chance at life when I was down-and-out.” When you mess up it is not time to run away from God, it is time to run to him.

Second, remember God forgives us and can clean up the mess: Ro 3:24”…Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.” God does not want you to remain in you mess. God’s grace and love will restore us and change our lives. Only Jesus can do this!

Third, when you mess up, God gets in the mess with you and sets it right. Romans 8:3 “God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn't deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all…”

There was a young man who had ruined his life. He plunged into alcohol and drug abuse and was homeless. His family searched for him everywhere. Finally they found him laying in the gutter on a side street, out cold. He was covered with his own filth; he reeked and was a complete mess. Yet his mother grabbed him and cradled him in her arm and wiped away the filth! Why? Because that’s her child, nothing else matters. She is going to take him home.

When you are in you mess God often enters it, cradles us and cleans us up. God can make it right, let Him!

Last, “We know all things work together for the good…to make us like Jesus!” Everything that happens in our life God will use to make us like Jesus. God uses the mess out of our life to form us into whom we should be.

I like this story: Benjamin West was just trying to be a good babysitter for his little sister Sally. While his mother was out, “Benjamin found some bottles of colored ink and proceeded to paint Sally’s portrait. But by the time Mrs. West returned, ink blots stained the table, chairs, and floor. Benjamin’s mother surveyed the mess without a word until she saw the picture. Picking it up, she exclaimed, “Why, it’s Sally!” And she bent down and kissed her young son.

In 1763, when he was 25 years old, Benjamin West was selected as history painter to England’s King George III. He became one of the most celebrated artists of his day. Commenting on his start as an artist, he said, “My mother’s kiss made me a painter.” Her encouragement did far more than a rebuke ever could have done.”

We, like Benjamin with the nest of intentions try to do our best. But we make a mess. Isn’t it nice for some to come along and see that we really meant to do right, even if we made a mess?

I want to encourage you today! God see your intentions and how you messed up and he still loves you. Maybe this bit of encouragement will cause you to paint a better painting next time. God can turn you life around and make it a work of art the king Jesus will be pleased with.

Your Pastor, Mike Gibney