Mullet
I was talking to a friend of mine the other day and they made a comment I am still laughing at. He had moved recently and I asked him how he loved his new place, and he said it is absolutely perfect except for the fact it was sporting a lawn mullet. Much like the beloved hairstyle of ages past, his lawn was nice and neat in the front yard and a long party in the backyard. You could drive by his place now and it all looks put together…but jump that privacy fence and you are going to land knee deep in grass. His dog has roamed through that jungle. Somewhere in the back a play scape peaks amongst the gently blowing grass.
I can relate
Not with my friend…with his house. I think most of us can.
Business up front.
Party’s aftermath in the back.
None of us have it all together. At the start of service this last Sunday I encouraged you to ask people how they are doing but to listen and probe deeper than just accepting “good” or “fine”. We can’t all be “fine” and we know from Scripture that we are not at all good.
But we try; don’t we? We spend a lot of money, attend a lot of event, say a lot of words; all to convince those around us that we have it all together.
God knows who we are. And He loves us completely.
He sent His Son to atone for our sins.
He sent His Spirit that we might have a relationship with him.
Every day he offers us confession and absolution.
So I want to leave you today with the words of Psalm 139.
Now if you will excuse me, I have a backyard to work on.
-Pastor Dan
1 You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.
19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.