What are some of the things we ask of politicians?
- Truth
- Honesty
- Transparency
- A straight answer
- No spin
God wants the same thing from us. He knows how we feel and what we think anyway.
So here’s a suggestion.
Why not shoot straight?
Tell him what you want to tell him. Say what you feel you need to say. He can take it. If you’re mad at him, let him know. If you feel he’s been absent, tell him!
Then, after you’ve had your say, let him love you.
Let him extend the grace that only he can extend.
Let him heal in the way only he can heal.
Let him provide the peace that only he can provide.
In Psalm 69, Kind David is transparent.
He likens his state to that of a drowning man (v. 1-2).
He tells the Lord that he hasn’t felt his presence in a while (v. 3).
He’s pretty specific in his fears and challenges (v. 5-12).
He even asks God to do some pretty bad things to his enemies (v. 27-28) — “Charge them with crime upon crime; do not let them share in your salvation. May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous.”
It’s dramatic. But it’s real.
In verse 29, I imagine David tired and worn out after a very honest rant and prayer. It’s then that a reality of sorts sets in and the king remembers fully who he’s talking to — the God who’s saved him from himself and others so many times.
He writes:
“I am in pain and distress; may your salvation, O God, protect me. I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.”
God wants our honesty. He loves us just the way we are, and he wants us to give our worries, our anxieties, over to him.
He wants to see that in us as individuals, and he wants to see that in our congregations.
And the people who enter our doors need to see that, too. They need to see REAL Christians with REAL problems seeking a REAL Savior.
Does your church provide an atmosphere where people can be open and transparent?
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