The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

UNADORNED - not adorned : lacking embellishment or decoration. My husband is such a good sport and sweet guy. He has always insisted that I look just as good without make-up as with, and he really, truly does like it when my hair is sort of straight. My hair is naturally a mix between curly and wavy on most days. Especially in our humid climate. Rabbit Trail Alert - (I remember when I was a teen, I would go to great lengths, while ruining my parents electricity bill, to have the air cold enough to help my hair be a little more straight. Of course I had to help it by pulling it straight then leaning back against the wall behind my bed, while I entertained myself with Taylor Caldwell books, which I loved (still do). OMG(osh)! I would not want to be a teen again for anything!) I digress. The point is my husband, like most, I would think, likes the natural look. I think the natural "unadorned" look is special because it is private way that we do not allow everyone else to see us, (and the general public all said: "Thank The Good Lord!" LOL!). Lately it is occurring to me that God would like my prayer life to be much more "unadorned".

Prayer is a critical part of my life. I would say my prayer life is a life-long journey to which there is no arrival this side of heaven. Just progress, rabbit trails, then progress again. Oversimplified, but you get the idea, because each of you have your own prayer journey. It has been occuring to me very recently to consider the word unadorned, and to consider it as a pattern for my conversations with God. In my pondering of this word and what it speaks to me to communicate with Our Lord, in an unadorned fashion, I get a sense that it insults Him when we hold back. He longs to hear what we call "the real deal". He really wants us to give the "Good, the Bad and the Ugly" to Him. It's a powerful thing when we can stand to do it. I have always thought that I was pretty decent at giving all the junk to Him. I've always been one to say to others "He's a Big God, He can take it, it's no surprise to Him". But, I see now that I do try to 'protect' Him from some of it. When really, I am just trying to protect myself.

I guess where I am at is this: We sometimes come to Him in our conversations (prayer) with Him, clothed in Christ, so to speak. Yeah, I know the Word says to be clothed in Christ. When we are out and about, any other place, yes, but in intimate conversation with Him, I am thinking there is a time to be before Him unadorned - naked and unashamed. The dictionary lists these two words as synonyms: plain, simple. He wants us to come plain and simple. When we are with our Father/Maker/Lord, this is a place of privacy, intimacy, and we can't do the work that needs to be done with our clothes on! We need to be able to acknowledge the naked state of our selves without Him, so the full power of WHO Christ in us is can be fully appreciated.

When we don't come to Him unadorned - We are pretty good at rejecting the thoughts most times, the thoughts that are the most dire, the fears, dreads, parts of us that we say "no, I am not going to pursue that, I don't accept that." We move on and while it right and admirable to move on and pursue the truth of God's Word for whatever the situation is, me thinks it is not as powerful as first making the exchange. In other words, we are being invited to take the exact prideful part of us that we are rejecting, or the dreadful fear that we consider unacceptable to waste time or thought on, whatever it is, and to give it to Him, call it what it is and watch it go up in smoke in His presence. Maybe this is where the Beauty for Ashes concept comes from! LOL!

Well, these are just the thoughts of a fellow prayer pilgrim. Like I said, I am learning as I go. I would love to hear and learn from you!

I think I might just go straighten my hair! Just kidding, ya'll! :)