I'm sure I am not the only person to have been a little bit amazed on more than one occasion by the Scripture's reference to David as a man after God's own heart.

Do you know what I think it is that made David so special to God? Bear in mind, now—I am no learned Bible scholar, I have never claimed to be an expert on Bible truths—but to the heart and eye of this observer it would

seem that God was touched by the reality of David. That's right, the reality of the man. He was real before God, and he left for us some of the most beautiful and inspiring real writings which have ever been penned.

What is real? What am I talking about? What does it mean to be real?

I suppose we could take a look back at the life of the man as described by various biblical writers. Such an overview would probably support my statement, but I think there is no better way to illustrate what I mean than by taking a look at some of the writings left by the man himself.

“Why are you in despair, O my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”

Let's think about what David is saying here.

A man appears to be asking himself why he is depressed, why he is discouraged or downcast. I can almost see his face before me as I read his words. His eyes do not meet mine as I look at him. He stares off into the distance as he wonders how things could have gotten in such a mess.

“Where is God?” he wonders to himself for a brief moment. But he knows God is near. He doesn't feel like God is near, but he knows it because he has learned that God is greater than his feelings.

He recalls the faithfulness of his God in times past.

His heart aches. It is filled with unanswered questions. His mind wonders and wonders and wonders.

He longs for an end to the ramblings and rumblings which are going on within him. Truly he is disturbed within his soul.

All his being questions the goings on around him and within him. Yet, amidst it all he recalls the faithfulness of God.

But, do you know what makes David different from so many of us today? You know what makes him special to me? Why I think he found such favor with God?

Because he was open and honest with his Heavenly Father, and it appears to me that he was rather open and honest with those around him, too. What he was, what he felt, what he thought showed. I suspect God found that refreshing in David as I suspect He does in us today.

Why is it so hard for us to be real today? Why do we live so hard and fast? Too hard and too fast to take time to care and be cared about.

I don't have the answers. I seem to only have questions this week. Sometimes the best thing we can do, however, is to ask the right questions? Being open and honest with ourselves and others is a beginning.

Do not misunderstand me as I write of being real, of being open and honest...

I realize there are duties which call and sometimes we must suppress or deny for a time the feelings or emotions which rise within us. We must simply perform the tasks which lay before us and do the work which is required of us each day.

So be it.

But the next time a friend asks, “How are you?” Perhaps we could try being truthful.

And the next time we stop to pray, perhaps we could talk to God for a while about our feelings, our real feelings, those feelings we are so often ashamed to admit to before Him or others.

Pause this week to read a few of David's Psalms. The man after God's own heart knew how to let it all out. He knew how to express himself before God and man.

Honest expression may be the key to finding the peace we seek in times of great emotional turmoil. To recognize our feelings and find a healthy and acceptable way of expressing them is good. To recognize that God is greater

than our feelings and to express our gratitude for His faithfulness (no matter how we feel) in and through all the events or circumstances of our lives is even better...

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