I love that we can be who we authentically are with our heavenly Father. This most sacred of relationships ain't no masquerade party, baby. There's no place for masks, filters, fancy language, or pious platitudes as we gaze deeply into our Redeemer's loving eyes, when our hearts link fully to His. When we begin to truly get that He already knows what's deeply encased in our wrecked souls and yet loves us anyway, we get one of those sparkling 'aha' moments where we are freed, standing vulnerable yet strangely unashamed before Him. There's no condemnation for those who are in, who are with, who are owned and loved by Christ Jesus.
And in that great grace-filled mercy that defines who He is, He invites us to place all our burdens and baggage, fears and hopes, traumas and dramas right on the table of His presence in all their raw, agonizing, ugly reality. Naming them, each and every one, as we let go, surrender, and relinquish their powerful hold over our souls.
There have been seasons when the only thing we could do was pray. Unspeakable tragedies, private heartaches, unanswerable questions, and major decisions seem to come at us like relentless waves pounding on a sandy beach at high tide, eroding our hope, our energy, our zest for life. After awhile, there seem to be no more words left to speak to God. He's already heard it all from our groaning overloaded hearts.
Author Jan Karon's fictional Father Tim has mused often about that four word 'prayer that never fails,' the one spoken by Jesus Himself. Thy . Will . Be . Done .
I find I'm breathing that simple plea more and more these days. I'm long past done trying to be the Savior of the world or someone's Holy Spirit. I've run out of words, my heart empties. I release all I hold dear to Him.
I'm thinking He must love this simple yet oh-so-powerful four word sacrifice He taught us to pray. Because it leaves the results in His hands. Instead of me figuring it all out for Him, telling Him what to do, how to do it, when to have it done by.
I love that about my Savior. He knows the end from the beginning. And time and again He has shown me this unalterable truth. He . Does . All . Things . Well .
He is worthy to be trusted. He is worthy to be praised.
Love your observation how He teaches us to pray. As one of His disciples asked in Luke 11:1 (another 4-word prayer): "Teach . Us . To . Pray ." And He did! (vv. 2-4).
ReplyDeleteBeautiful piece, Linda. Thank you for sharing.
~A
Why do we make it so complicated? Communication with our Savior truly can be as simple as breathing ...
DeleteThank you, A!
Linda
Yes, like breathing . . . Thanks, Linda.
DeleteAs for "being authentic": excellent point, especially from a counseling perspective. I am asking God for this.
Your words reminded me of a recent article I enjoyed on the "unedited" life of Mary Magdalene. Jill Carattini writes that Jesus "not only can handle our unedited stories -- but demands them -- because He Himself did not hold back from standing in the midst of it all."
Mary's story of transformation reminds us to keep our eyes on our God, not our shame, for "everything changed when she met the One Who healed her." Wow! And when grief was all she had left that morning at the tomb, "tears were perhaps the last desperate words to the God she hoped was listening." What a prayer, and what an answer!
(You can link to the article at www.rzim.org/a-slice-of-infinity/mary-unedited/.)
May our "unedited" lives be for His glory . . .
~A
'Our unedited stories' - oh I love, that, A! And I'm thinking He must love it even more because that's when He does His best work. Thank you for this eye-opener today!
DeleteLinda
God is the one person we can truly open up and be ourselves with. He doesn't require fancy or complicated. He just wants our hearts. Thanks for sharing this encouraging post. (Visiting from Bible Love Notes linkup.)
ReplyDeleteI'm so thankful that fancy or complicated isn't in His picture! Thanks for joining us tonight, Laura!
DeleteLinda
Well said. We need to release our burdens and trust the Lord to guide us. Those four words have deep meaning, Thy will be done. I'm visiting from Gail's T.G.I.F. Have a blessed holiday weekend.
ReplyDeleteAmen, Carol. And blessings to you as you celebrate this weekend!
DeleteLinda
Amen!
ReplyDelete"There have been seasons when the only thing we could do was pray."
And there have been seasons in my life when the only thing I could do was ask for prayer as my heart was so swollen that I couldn't pray myself but the prayers of others soothed and healed my heart.
thanks for sharing this.
p.s. I love Father Tim : )
Yes, Gail, when we recall those desperate moments when others carried us to Jesus, we stop, and the immensity of their grace-gift gives us more reasons to praise the One with the Healing touch.
DeleteAnd yep, those Father Tim books have been really gentle companions along the way, yes?
;-}
Linda
I feel like I so relate and resonate with your words here, Linda. My prayers lately have been so intimate and I sense God's presence so keenly, much like what you've described. And I love the idea of simply praying, "Thy will be done." It is an attitude of the heart that I'm working on as well. Thanks for this encouragement, my friend.
ReplyDeleteYes, Beth ... 'out of the heart the mouth speaks.' Now to cultivate that heart so what flows from its depths is holy, rich, deep!
DeleteLinda
Dear Linda
ReplyDeleteOh, I am so glad to see that I am not the only one who gave the job of the world's Savior and being the Holy Spirit back to our Lord!! I want to add just a few words to you prayer, if I may, "Father, glorify your name!".
Much love from Beth's linky.
Mia
'Father, glorify Your name!' Amen, Mia, amen ...
DeleteLinda