Cleaning up the Mess

Last night was another joy of ministry, lots of different kind of folks coming together to Celebrate, great food, great message and some volunteers who played a huge role in the success. Probably 90% of the 100 plus folks who showed up were in recovery and you could tell that the meal they had may have been the best one they had in quite awhile.

Not just the food, but the menu of heartfelt messages which fed the mind, music that fed the spirit, and the fellowship of kindred passengers on a similar journey who were becoming Victorious, which fed the body. That's what we look to do at ATB, feed all the aspects of a well rounded new life, mind, body and spirit, with God at the center of our existence.

But when we do these things I look for something different. I look for the volunteers that make it possible, the people who pay a price that is not for themselves, but for others. I do not look always at who made the mess (literally and figuratively), but who sticks around to help clean it up. If we look at the price Christ paid for us, we could certainly say, he cleaned up our mess, and continues to do so every waking moment of our lives.

At the end of the festivities last night there were only a few who stayed to clean up though several others volunteered. And then there was only one or two with me. That made me think, we all love to celebrate, but only a few, or maybe even only one, are with us to make that celebration possible.

No matter what happens, no matter whether we are celebrating or grieving, even if we are down and out, or if we have totally made a wreck of things, God is with us, there to help us celebrate, and then help us clean up the mess we may have made. Thought about this verse in Psalms:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Psalm 46:1

Can't think of anyone else better to help in Cleaning Up The Mess