A friend from high school days recently posted on Facebook, “Never ask a pastor about politics and never ask a politician about religion.” When I responded that I get all of my instructions on both topics from God, she seemed flabbergasted. First she tauntingly wrote, “Wow. I didn’t know God gave instructions.” Then she added, “I don’t want God in my politics.” I have heard similar statements from business men and women who don’t want God in their businesses, principals who don’t want God in their schools, activists who don’t want God on public property and atheists who don’t want God anywhere, except perhaps behind the closed doors of a church. In every single case the reason people feel that way is clear, if God entered those areas, things would have to change. Just as Jesus cleared the temple of animals and profiteers who didn’t belong there, God would drive out sinful thoughts, evil deeds and false beliefs. Those secret idols to which they are clinging would have to go.
Is there a room in your home that you wouldn’t want guests to see? Is there an area of your life that you have designated a “No God Zone”? Is it really possible for us to keep the Creator of the universe out of all or even a portion of our life? Only you know the answer to those first two questions, but the answer to that last question is, “Yes, we can!” It certainly isn’t because we are more powerful than God. It is because God is “prochoice”. He has given us the freedom to choose or reject Him and He won’t enter where He is not welcomed. Oh, He already knows our private thoughts, the desires of our heart and all of those secret things we are not willing to share with Him. He loves us in spite of those things and longs to show us a better, eternal life, but He won’t force Himself on us. It must be our decision to open the door and invite Him inside.
I can’t compartmentalize my life. To me that would be like telling my doctor, “You can examine me, but my blood pressure and body temperature are off limits.” I guess it really boils down to a matter of trust. My wife and I kept no secrets from each other. There was no part of our life that was off limits. We shared the good, the bad and the ugly without reservation because we had complete trust in each other. Trust is the foundation upon which all strong relationships are built. I have to be “all in” or “all out” in my relationships. Where God is concerned I’m all in. He is my Heavenly Father, Jesus is my savior and His Holy Spirit is my loving, constant companion. Being a Christian is not what I do or what I say – it is who I am. Christianity is not my religion – it is my relationship with God through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Every day is open house with the doors of every room in my life wide open for God to enter and rearrange the furniture as He sees fit.
I didn’t get to this point of openness and peace overnight. It has taken seven and a half decades on this roller coaster ride that has been my life. I’ve experienced ups, downs and some very sharp curves along the way. But as I near the end of my ride I am so happy that I have turned every area of my life over to God without reservation or exception.