Poured Out

So I had to get a quick lunch today.  A quick trip to McDonald's and head straight back to the office.  Leaving the drive through I go for the quick fry or two (or three) while driving (don't tell anyone....I sometimes eat behind the wheel)!  Digging around in the bag I feel the fry box, but can't find the actual french fries.  Digging further, I find the straw, ketchup, bbq sauce but no fries.  Digging FURTHER, I finally find the french fries, poured completely out of the box into the bottom of the bag!!  COME ON MCDONALDS!! I'm one of your biggest fans, but how hard is it to actually keep the french fries in their box and SIT them into the bag without pouring them out?

So now, driving along, kind of frustrated but still eating, I find myself asking the question (like most everyone I'm sure) .... how can this apply to life?  It's obvious!! Our lives are like the french fries in my McDonald's bag?  We get so busy, running in so many directions, chasing so many things that we are just poured out and scattered.  Some of us face such tragedies that we cannot help but be poured out and beaten down.  Others of us may have just found out some terrifying news that has left us poured out in the bottom of our bags and feeling like there is no hope.

So when life gets very crazy at times; poured out even, let me point you to the words written by Paul in the Book of Romans.  Paul writes in Chapter 5 "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (vv. 1-5)

Read this passage closely and many words will jump out at you.  Four that I want to stress to you are peace, access, hope, and love.  When your life is poured out due to stress, sadness, sorrow, or something else, look to the God of Peace.  When there seems no peace in this world, there is peace with God.  Take hold of the truth that if you are a true believer in Jesus Christ, then you have access to God the Father.  Who better to bring order to our distressed life than the creator of the universe?  Christian, you have access to this Creator;  take advantage of this access and find hope.  There is hope for the broken, hope for the lost, hope for the sinner, hope for the poured out....but only in Jesus Christ will this hope be found.

Finally, when life feels poured out, remember that God first poured out His love to us through the Holy Spirit.  God has poured out his love, peace, and hope in His Spirit into our hearts.  It is not impossible to find, just look.   It is not impossible to feel, just allow yourself to experience it. 

What will bring yours and my life back together again is the one who has poured out his love to us.  Will you allow him to this day?