You know when my children were little, I never found a way at the moment of disciplining them, though I loved them and tried to make that clear to them that they ever said, "Wow that felt good," or "I feel like I am special," or "I want to keep doing wrong so Dad will discipline me."
ALL sin is messy and will make a mess of our lives because it is contrary to God's will. I don't think the prophets of Old, much less Jesus himself, ever found a way to confront sinners, that they liked it or went away feeling good about themselves for their sin. Yet, to confront sin is the very reason they were sent! Micah said it best, "But as for me, I am full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin." (Micah 3:8)
The truth is the prophets were rejected, despised and stoned to death and the cross of Jesus remains in clear view of all, as a testimony to the mess sin can make! Is there a more plaintive cry of morning and lament in all of scripture than, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!"?(Matthew 23:37)
There is nothing about sin that is NOT messy! It makes our lives messy and it leaves us a mess! Ask the rich young ruler, "he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." (Matthew 19:22) The truth is, walking away from God's will and going it on your own will always leave you sorrowful.
God is calling us to a discipleship that demands we "deny ourselves" and follow Him exclusively. As much as the earth was without form and void and covered in darkness it took God to make it a habitable place. So to our lives in sin are a mess, without form and void and covered in darkness, yet God can create in us a new beginning - for He gave us the light of His Son (read carefully and meditate on John 1:1-18)!
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