Merry Christmas Eve, DearHeart.
Our tree is a treasure of memories. Every once in a while, especially during the holidays, our minds take a trip down memory lane, reviewing the highlights of years passed, thinking on where it all began. Memories of dreams we had starting out, the twists and turns as life took us on a journey through each bend in the road … journeys with unexpected plots.
Journeys … unexpected plots … here I am … back in Matthew … again … reading about Mary … again.
You know this journey well:
young woman,
engaged to Joseph,
angel paid her a visit.
Unexpected.
There is no indication that Mary thought this ordeal for which she had been “chosen” was a mess. No hint that she felt like she was suckered in or cursed…or even scared or upset. Or, a fine mess she’d gotten herself into. None of that.
I think of my own messes.
I have been a mess,
lived in a mess,
and more times than not, created a mess.
Mess – as in
-a dirty, untidy, or disordered condition
-a state of embarrassing confusion
-an unpleasant or difficult situation
-a jumble
Any way we look at it, a mess leaves us feeling ineffective, at times purposeless, and useless. At times, we can wonder what is it that is wrong with us, or question what is missing in our lives.
But, it is right in the middle of our messes where God does His best work. He can step in to you and me, the ones he refers to as His “masterpiece” and turn those very messes into miracles which will astound for the rest of our days.
Mary, a masterpiece – in a miracle – that was disguised as a mess.
Miracle, as defined by that same dictionary:

• a wonder; a marvel
• an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God
  Each and every one of us, known and loved by God, are miracles.
  Our messes, too, are miracles.
  The same work that went into the mother of the Savior of the World is the same work going on in the middle of your mess.
  Every broken piece is a part of the artwork He is creating.
  Every fragmented area, He is looking to make whole.
  Every part of this pandemic – He is pulling out of us a closer walk with Him.
  You know – Mary didn’t see her obedience as a mess. It was just sold-out faith. Jesus surely got her DNA when it came to how He looks at a us … “there’s no mess here, just a miracle at work … right here, in My masterpiece”.
  He’s not so much concerned with who we’ve been, but who we will become by wholeheartedly putting our faith in Him. Like His Mom, Mary, did.
  Our mess is never, ever, ever wasted. It is a tool of purpose in the hand of a very strategic God if we’ll humble ourselves to become fully healed vessels.
  The story is not just a story of a tired and stale religion.
  It is a story of your heart, and my heart, on the cusp of being set ablaze once again.
  God sees the entire picture of our lives, from birth to death. And, He knows what His power can achieve in a life wholly surrendered to Him. He never gives up on any of us but finishes each masterpiece He begins.
  “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (Philippians 1:6, NLT)
  “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT).
  Wake up.
  Sell out.
  Full faith.
  Go.