In the midst of your mess, God produces his best!

Today's blog is the continuation from a blog entry last week, in which we are encouraged to turn our mess into a message.  We are all a HOT MESS!  I get it, but now we need to turn our mess into a message.  Part of that process is realizing that in the midst of your mess, God produces his best!  If you're like me, you don't like to be messy for extended periods of time.  You don't like to be in messy situations and you certainly don't like dealing with messy people.  The key thing to remember is that regardless of our strugs and the messes we find ourselves in; in those moments, God is producing his best in and through you.

Let's look at two examples from the Old Testament.  First let's look at Joseph.  Joseph's story can be found in Genesis 37-50.  Long story short, Joseph was the beloved son of his father and hated by his brothers, so much that they sold him into slavery.  Joseph ended up in Egypt, where he was sent to prison for making a pass at Potiphar's wife; when in actuality she made the pass at him and he rejected her.  While Joseph was in prison, he would interpret dreams and one day Pharaoh had a dream that only Joseph could interpret.  This dream prepared Egypt for a devastating famine to come.  To express his appreciation to Joseph, Pharaoh made him second in command in the land.  Eventually Joseph's brothers had to come back to the very one that they sold into slavery so many years prior.

If that's not enough for you, look at Job.  Job's story is an interesting one.  Job lived in the land of Ur and was very wealthy and prosperous.  He had a wife and lots of sons and daughters.  One day, Job lost EVERYTHING, the children, property and on top of that he was plagued with an illness.  His doom and gloom friends came over and offered no consolation.  His wife told him to curse God and die.  However, Job did something that still blows my mind.  He said "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him."  Job prayed for his friends and everything was restored unto him double.  For your trouble, you shall have double!!  Yes, he even had more children.  His latter end was far greater than his former end.  Look at GOD!!

In the Episcopal and Roman Catholic Church, yesterday's gospel reading came from St. Matthew chapter 5.  During chapel on Friday, my Chaplain reminded us of this scripture.  It was again reemphasized yesterday as I sat in mass.  "You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled by men.  You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."  In the midst of our messy situations, we often lose sight of the fact that we are salt, zest and zeal of the earth.  We've got the flavor that it takes to change the hearts of men and serve in love and charity, while simultaneously shining our light into the dark places of hurting people, and a broken and unjust society.  Go get your salt box and your lamp stand.  In the midst of your mess, God produces his BEST!

The Peace of the Lord be always with you.
Karsten