Do you ever feel "out of sorts?"  ... When things just don't seem right; your attitude is out of whack, you don't feel good about yourself, weird and awkward things come out of your mouth, your timing is off, possibly your mind seems slow or foggy - you just don't feel together.  We all have times like this, and they can be attributed to a number of different factors at different times.  These symptoms describe an inner state of conflict and/or a measure of exhaustion.

All of creation is in some ways "out of sorts."  Everything is in a fallen state, ravaged and marred by the effects of sin.  Rebellion and decay affect all things human and all things created.  It's not always apparent, but it's always there.  This is very important for us to understand and to remember.  Bad days, misunderstandings, wars, disasters, death, disease, trauma, etc. are part of this life at this time.  It will not serve us well to misunderstand our crises in terms of targeted punishments or times of negligence on God's part.  We live in world that is "out of sorts."

However, we are not left without hope.  "God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Jesus, and through Him (Jesus) to reconcile to Himself (the Father) ALL THINGS, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood shed on the cross." (Colossians 1:20)  Jesus' death on the cross was the crux of history for ALL THINGS.  Everything is being reconciled to God on account of Jesus.  God has purposed - "To bring ALL THINGS in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ." (Ephesians 1:10)

We should not be surprised that things are "out of sorts" around us, or even in us from time-to-time.  This is the age in which we live, an age where the work of Christ is being applied bit-by-bit to all of creation.  So, rather than getting upset when things go wrong, we need to recognize the reality of the decay surrounding us.  Then we can also recognize the hope and accessible power we have in Christ - the One who paid to redeem creation and to reconcile us completely to the Father.  When we call to Him, when we turn from our broken hopelessness and worship Him, we are aligning ourselves with God's purposes.  When we obey His truth and live according to His new Kingdom order of forgiveness and justice, we are not only living in faith and worship, we are living "in sorts;" we are living in sync with His peace and wholeness.

When you or your environment is "out of sorts," recognize it - don't run from it - and call to God.  Seek His will and His ways, and take hope in Him.  When God makes His way clear to you, walk boldly in it, knowing that He is  (and His resources are) with you.  This kind of living is bringing God's peace to an "out of sorts" world.

Walking in God's ways with you,

Pastor Tom

tgriffith@rolcboston.org  

www.rolcboston.org