anything but sorted!

It's strange how often the tone for the week is set by the Lord from the start.

I was thinking ahead to Sunday coming, giving some thought to the message God's meaning to speak. And I was struck by the fact that the church at Corinth was comprised of a whole load of folk whose lives were all messed up no end.

Sometimes I think the trouble with the church today is that the folk all seem so very prim and proper. As though we've got the whole big 'life' thing sorted out.

When, of course, the truth is far from that. Except we hide it well and don't let people see.

End result? We live a kind of double life. The up-front life which all the public see: and the dark and shady 'under'-side which maybe only God alone discerns.

No wonder those who're struggling to make much of life begin to feel there's no way they'd belong among a people quite like that - all smooth and smiles and "everything's-just-fine".

But, in fact, we're not like that at all, we followers of Christ. We're pretty much un-sorted, too, if truth be told (which is surely what it's meant to be!).

So why pretend it's otherwise? Why this huge big cover-up?

I guess because we've largely missed the essence of being followers of Christ. 'Church' is a dusty, dirty building site - and not some classy show-house.

We're all, at best, a bunch of mixed-up learners who've discovered that there's someone there who sees we're not no-hopers and who takes us on as present-day disciples: at best, we're a work in progress. Nothing more.

There was someone in today who's just like that. A lovely girl, with much to give: but like the rest of us, she struggles too and hasn't got it sorted.

Sometimes (as with her) the church itself and the way the church's message is set forth - that only makes things worse! It has for her.

Which is worrying. Or it should be. It's worried me enough (because I've seen the same too often now) to make me stop and think through once again just what the message is and what it really means to be the church today.

People think that I must have it sorted! What a joke!

I read in the summer a book that was called The Ragamuffin Gospel. And I thought to myself, yes, that's me. That's us all. A mixed-up, messed-up crowd of ragamuffin folk - who're simply starting to find that this guy Jesus makes a powerful difference and is slowly changing our lives.

No way have I got it sorted myself! Today just proves the point.

I've been rushed off my feet this last long while. I haven't got those rhythms of a spell of work and then a time of rest - I haven't got that sorted one small bit! And today I've been haring around all over the place again.

Tonight's been one more instance of precisely that.

The Guild were starting up: so there I was, happily so, I have to say, but with a lot of things to do: the bread and wine to be produced, the newly installed sound system to be checked and prepared for its use, my Mum to collect and bring over for the meeting (the folk who usually give her a lift were unable so to do - it was one of those nights!).

But, then, there was a meeting going on in the main worship building as well: people from all over Scotland: a big event. And the speakers there were looking for sound and wanting to use our video projection facilities. So I was rushing back and forth between these different venues, doing my kind of 'roadie' stuff, to get things up and running for them all.

And the car park was filling up and so there was the challenge of creating space and helping people find a space and calming all the anxious, stressed participants attending these two meetings here tonight.

Talk about multi-tasking! And I love the buzz! But I thought it gives a pretty graphic picture of the way I often end up living life. Rushing at the rate of knots with little time to pause and to reflect.

I know, I know. Practise what you preach, you say. But that's the point. I'm no more sorted, fixed or finished than the rest of us who've found in this guy Jesus Christ the one to sort us out.

I'm bit-by-bit, and pretty slowly, getting there. But that's about as far as it has got.

I'm very slowly learning to say a simple, 'No'. I'm very slowly learning to ensure there is the space each day, each week, each month, to leave off all the busy-ness and simply to reflect.

Sure, it's not a thing I can always help. I got a call today about a man in his early 40s who died a few days back. There are visits to be made, a service to be prayed about and carefully prepared. On top of everything else I'd planned.

Such things I can't do much about. And some weeks, I suppose, are just like that. Jesus had such weeks as well.

And so, somehow, he sees me through! That's the most amazing thing. He somehow sees me through and gets me there.