Is there a boundary on what one can say to God? Is there anything that is "out of bounds" in one's relationship with God? What is appropriate and inappropriate in expressing one's views or opinions or perspectives to God about how he is doing his job?
Our class at church is studying the Psalms using Walter Brueggemann's model of orientation, disorientation, and new orientation. For the past few weeks we have looked at the psalms of orientation - those times in life when life makes perfect sense, theology is neat and tidy, praises are abundant and questions are few. However, now we are transitioning into the world of disorientation - those times in the pit, the "dark night of the soul," when the world makes no sense and God is conspicuous by his perceived absence. Theology is messy and has to construct large convoluted arguments in order to protect us from God or Him from us. Questions abound - questions that scare us in their ability to doubt everything that we were so sure of during the times of orientation. During these times, what is out of bounds? Is our brutal honesty - honesty that would be called heresy by many - okay? Or do we need to curb our feelings in favor of more tame expressions of disgust and disagreement?
Psalms is a wonderful resource in addressing these questions. As the worship book of the people of Israel, they express faith in forms both common and uncommon, comfortable and uncomfortable, orthodox and "theologically" suspect. As I read Psalms like #13, I find a faith unlike my own and one that pushes the boundaries of normalcy. "Look on me and answer Oh Lord my God."(v.3) Such a bold statement to the God we are supposedly not to confront for fear of retaliation or fear of overstepping our creaturely status. I'm not willing to do that. And my question to myself is why not? Is it because I don't think God can take it or that I don't have the right because of my sin? Is it because I have never been far enough down in the pit to question "How long will you hide your face from me?" If the people of Israel validated this psalm as a legitimate expression of faith to God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, why is even broaching the topic so ridiculously difficult for me and many other believers today?
We discussed this in class this Easter morning while also watching the Nooma video "Open." Rob Bell spoke of Jesus on the night of Gethsemane being brutally honest with God not wanting to go through with the task ahead of him but also open to the ongoing work that God was up to through him. Such honesty, regardless of the comfort level of those around us, is necessary in order to be pleasing to God and to pray "effectively." God is big enough to take whatever we have to throw at him and to withhold those pockets of anger, rage, doubt, and fear is essentially denying God's sovereignty over those aspects of our life. Thank you God for Psalm 13!
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Hey Kyle - how's the sleep going? Hehehe!! I want you and Jennifer to know that we have been praying for little-big Luke. I am confident God will bring about healing.
As for your post...have you ever seen the movie "The Apostle"? In it a struggling preacher really 'gives it to God.' That show really caught me off guard. I have, however, come to realize that if we withhold from God then we really are not sharing in true relationship.
Job has helped me here. As you know, Job more than once levels accusations against God. Throughout his 'rants' he maintains his integrity. Of course this drives his friends crazy! They try over and over to convince him he is bordering on blasphemy. But I can't help but wonder if Job knew something the rest of us don't know - when you have an intimate relationship with God, there is going to be give and take, there is going to be frustration, anger, disappointment, joy, and elation. These are all legitimate emotions God has created us with. And it is more than appropriate to share them with Him.
As far as I can tell, going to Him, even in this way, is a sign of trust...for when we are at the 'end of our rope' we need to realize we are standing on holy ground. We don't know which way to turn. So we take off our shoes, get on our knees turn our direction towards Him and it's then we realize we must absolutely depend on Him!
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