For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.  I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.  I believed, therefore I spoke, “I am greatly afflicted.”  I said in my haste, “All men are liars.”

Psalm 116:8-11

Imagine being wronged and cheated like David and Jesus were, but David writes Psalm 116 proclaiming God’s deliverance.  He begins this Psalm with:

I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications.  Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.

Psalm 116:1-2

David was confident in God’s promises for his life.  He loved God because He heard him.  Even while he was being persecuted and the list of his enemies was endless, David submitted and humbled himself before the Lord.  If we go back and read Psalm 109, David pleads to God to destroy his enemies.  Although it is unknown who David was referring to in this Psalm, it is evident he isn’t afraid to let his requests known.  David knew God was listening and he had nothing to be ashamed of while he wished death to his enemies.  This might be a bit too much as the love of Christ calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, but Psalm 109 speaks of David’s transparency when praying to the Lord.  Reading these two Psalms remind us no matter how outrageous a prayer request is, God will hear us.  He will always answer a prayer, but He will not always grant our request.  Still, be heard!

When Jesus was being tempted in Matthew 4:1-11, he was vulnerable because he had been fasting for forty days. Prior to Jesus being tempted in the desert, He was baptized by John in Matthew 3.  This is a reminder for us when we make an important decision that will bring us closer to the Lord, there is always the possibility temptation will follow. 

Satan reminded Him he had the power to feed himself and save himself, but Jesus didn’t fall for his tricks.  Satan was only tempting Him to rely on His own strength, but Jesus fully trusted His Father to deliver Him from the desert.  At the end of this story after Satan leaves, angels come to minister and take care of Jesus.  That last bit of that story always intrigued me because why would Jesus need to be ministered?  However, this is only a portrait of how our Heavenly Father cares and hears us, especially when we are at our weakest and we feel we are running out of fuel.

Do not be ashamed of transparency, many times we run away from showing our true selves because we fear what others might say.  Do not be ashamed of admitting your own faults because great testimonies showcasing God’s strength are born from our weakest moments in life.  Do not be ashamed of your wounds and scars, they are a beautiful reminder of how God’s grace carried you through the most difficult times.  The world will tell us to hide all these, but in hiding we lose our authenticity and our humanity.  If we hide, how are able to show vulnerability to those who don’t know how to be?  Be the example.

Don’t hide.  Be heard.

 

Holy Water by Switchfoot (From Where The Light Shines Through)

Give me something I can feel
This time I wanna rain dance for real
Wash the dust of dirty wheels
Give me the waters that could help me heal and
Hold the old me down
(Give me the waters that could help me heal)
Hold the old me down
(Let the rain come down)

On the thirsty ground
Let the rains come down
I want to drink the clouds
Like holy water

I felt like this when I was a boy
A firefly in Illinois
A pair of wings and an electric heart
Broken wings and a shot in the dark

With that fire in our eyes
(Lighting up the summertime sky)
With that fire in our eyes
(I felt so alive)

But now I’m praying for rain
I want to make that change
I got your blood in my veins
Like holy water

Sisters, sons, and daughters
Hold me down with the holy water
Blisters, guns, and fathers
Hold me down with the…

Sisters, sons, and daughters
Hold me down with the holy water
Hold me down with the holy water
Like holy water

My head is aching like a riot
40 days in the desert pain
When I hear the lies I don’t buy it
Still looking for the desert rain and I
Fight the fire with the fire
I want to taste your love again and I
Let the flood rise higher
Wash the doubt away

But now I’m praying for rain
I want to make that change
I got your blood in my veins
Like holy water
(Like holy water)