I was thinking about messes this week as I diligently tried to avoid making one while I put together a soup for dinner tonight.  My stove top was clean and shiny.  I really didn’t want to have to clean it again. 

However, I needed to make the soup and I make a mess when I cook.  It’s probably one of the reasons that I try to avoid cooking at every opportunity.  Try as I might, the stove was soon covered in splatters from the simmering soup.  Oh well.

It was another chance to surrender to a Power Greater Than Myself.  I have found that if I accept that there will be messes on my stove and in my life, it is easier to clean them up.  I turn quickly to a heartfelt prayer for help or forgiveness and proceed to do the work in front of me.  Like cleaning up!

Some might say that this sounds very fatalistic, as if I can’t get it done correctly.  I prefer to think of it as a recognition of my abilities.  I do some things very well, but even in those activities, I sometimes make mistakes.  Recognizing my shortcomings and then attempting to correct them with the help of God, puts me in a right relationship with my Creator.

So, while there will always be messes, there will always be a loving God who will never abandon me and who loves me and you unconditionally – no matter what kind of mess we may find ourselves in.  Read Psalm 71 and face your messes with the Power of God at your back.

Terri