UP FRONT WITH GOD

Humble yourselves therefore under
the might hand of God, that He may
exalt you in due time:
casting all your care upon Him;
for He careth for you.
I Peter 5:7

You may have heard a friend say of a teenage daughter, “My child tells me everything.” Hopefully you haven't been guilty of saying something like that. It's a statement to choke on for those who hear it. That may be the way it is in the early growth years of a daughter/son where there is a more positive relationship with a child...when parents are THE main ones in their lives, but when the “mean teens” set in, children become more and more private. It doesn't necessarily mean they have anything to hide. It's just a part of the growing up process. I will hasten to add that most moms I've known going through those teen years with a child are not stupid and probably know more about the goings on of their children than children realize.

If someone had asked me if my children told me everything going on in their lives, I would have been quick to say, “I certainly hope not.” If someone were to ask me, “Do you tell your husband everything?” Again, I would have to reply, “Mercy no.” Think how time consuming that would be when there are more important things to talk about other than a hangnail or spilled soup.

There is something I'm ashamed of that I would also have to say... “I don't even tell God everything.” That statement may seem an odd one for a Christian to make. If I ever had the nerve to say it to someone even on impulse, I would have to recoil in shame. I don't like the ring of that statement, but I'm afraid that so often it is true.

There were things in the growing up years of our children when I enjoyed watching them at play or listening to their interactions and conversations, even in times of disagreement. There were so many things they didn't have to tell me. I was around them, and I had heard or seen them in action. In fact, much as they might disagree, I knew them better than they knew themselves. Some things they didn't have to tell me because in a parental way, I already knew. Guess what? Despite those things I already knew, I still loved it when they chose to tell me about those things I already knew. I didn't tell them I was already privy to their information, but just enjoyed listening to them share with me.

Can we be serious for a moment about this thing of being up front with God? I'm afraid at times, we don't share fully with God because we feel He already knows everything about us anyway. Other times, we may not share with Him those things we don't want Him to know. Sounds a little silly on our part. We have to know differently by now because of God's promise to be with us at all times, never leaving or forsaking us...even to the point of His holding us in the palm of His hand. He knows absolutely EVERTHING about us before we can tell Him ANYTHING. God knows the count of the hair on our heads. That's pretty precise.

When God created Adam and Eve, He was seeking fellowship. He created everything, preparing it with those two people in mind. He loved those days when he met with them in the garden where they shared and had times of fellowship. God didn't create robots. He wanted people with a mind and the ability to make choices. He wanted them to always choose to be with Him...walking and talking in that beautiful garden. That couple had it all. Viewing the scene, we can't believe anything could damage that fellowship.

All was well, BUT THEN...remember that thing of “choice.” We know what happened in that garden and nothing would ever again be the same. Adam and Eve hid and to this day, oddly speaking, we seem to feel we can do the same thing. We're smart enough to know that God sees and hears everything, but we still shy away from sharing our most secret of thoughts with Him especially if we think He will be displeased.

Why do we avoid being up front with God? Perhaps it has to do with trust. In our day, we aren't a very trusting people. We've been betrayed too often in past relationships. It could also be that we just aren't people of prayer, unless an emergency comes up. Maybe something in our lives is too bad to even tell God, if that's possible. It must sadden our Father though when we choose to not share with Him even the joys that come into our lives. I loved when my children shared positive things with me. I may have been uncomfortable, but wanted to hear the problems and concerns they faced. God our Father wants to be a personal and vital part of our lives no matter what is going on. We can never get beyond the fact of how dearly our Heavenly Father loves us and cares about every single thing in our lives, be they positive or negative in our own eyes.

We may even try with God to twist the facts of our circumstances. We might even want to give a positive spin to some things to make Him happy with us. With our Heavenly Father, we have a Father unlike any other we could ever have on this earth. He knows us through and through...nothing can be hidden whether we talk to Him about it or not. Our relationship can be so much stronger if we don't just trust God for our salvation, but in all of the every day situations that affect us. He wants us to be honest with Him...up front.

Dear Father...forgive my lack of total honesty with You in my prayer life even though I know very well that You already know me inside and out. Help me to appreciate that You want fellowship with me with no holding back on anything going on in my life. In Jesus precious name...Amen