There is a song out by Amy Grant called “Better Than A Hallelujah“. Each and every time I hear it, there is a lyric that captures me. She sings:
“Beautiful the mess we are, honest cries of breaking hearts…are better than a hallelujah”
Tonight I met with some other brothers in Christ and that lyric came ringing back. While this was a “business meeting”, we started off by discussing some prayer requests. Within moments, grown men who you would otherwise think were just fine and dandy are sharing what’s really going on in their lives.
“Beautiful the mess we are”
The requests are heavy, scary, real and not something any of us would have suspected walking in the door. They are for wives, children, friends, parents, co-workers, bosses, and on and on. They come from places of concern for each. They represent what’s really in our soul that would otherwise go untouched.
“The honest cries of breaking hearts”
I wondered what would happen if we had not met together. I wondered what would have happened if someone wouldn’t have said “let’s start off with some requests”. Those burdens, that weight on the shoulders, that grief, fear and pain would have stayed deep in each of our lives and…no one would even know. Man we need each other. We need accountability. We need someone to carry the mat. We need a place, a moment and an opportunity to “share our requests”.
“Better than a hallelujah”
I don’t know a lot but I have to think that God knows those requests. He sees our souls and knows each burden. What he built us for was community. While we’re here to share the gospel and grow the Kingdom, we are here together. So often we rush in, say our greetings, pay a tithe, sing a few songs, here a sermon and rush out. The church is sharing the journey. The church is sharing the requests. It’s being beautiful as the mess we are.
Question: Who’s carrying the mat with you today?
I think it is so important for Christians to be authentic with one another. God created fellowship with other believers for a reason. So glad you have found a group of men to be authentic with. I am grateful for a mom’s prayer group that meets on Wed. mornings from my church. I find comfort in knowing a group of women that I can carry the mat for and that are willing to carry me as well.
Thanks Erin. Totally agree. I usually talk a good game when it comes to community and needing each other but am terrible about application. I would rather just “work it out” myself. One of these days I’ll get it right. Thanks for being a part of the carrying the mat on this blog 😉
another one of my favorites. for that chorus alone. and it is great knowing we are all beautiful even if we are a mess. and that we are all in this together 🙂
Thanks Jen. The first time I heard the song it captured me. It’s such a shift in thinking but so true that even in our mess, we are his prize.
Hi Aaron, thanks for sharing this I think this is so important in our lives.
Thanks David. It is so important and yet so easy to forget. I know I’m very guilty of that. Appreciate your support of the blog and sharing the link.