May the Real Me Meet the Real You

Said C.S. Lewis, "The prayer that precedes all prayers is may the real me meet the real you."

My closest friend from college once shared Lewis’ quote with me during a personal season of doubt of hardship. I noticed that he opened almost every prayer with the phrase:

"May the real me meet the real you."

I probably listened to him say this phrase dozens of times. I think I also used it. I thought it sounded real and authentic, but quite honestly, I don't think I understood the meaning behind it until my personal season of challenge. Intellectually, I understood it. It's simple in structure and truly profound in its meaning, but my heart didn’t get it until I opened my heart to meet the real Jesus who sought to find me and save me.

As I reflect on that season of life, perhaps I missed I missed the meaning because inherent within this quote is an assumption that you know the real you.

Certainly in college I didn't know the real me. I probably thought I did. I lived in word and deed as though I did. Hindsight, however, has revealed just how far from reality my perceived life was from my real life. Have you ever come upon such a realization? That your real self looked much different than your 'perceived' self? It's humbling, and sometimes, humiliating.

Now as a husband and father to 4 soaring arrows, I think only know am I just becoming acquainted with my real self. Occasionally, I'll still juke and jive the things that I know I need to do. My wife's glare brings me back to reality. I still find myself choosing the things that I want to do - or the opportunities that seek to advance my OWN agenda - when all the while I know exactly what God desires for me to do: love God and love others. Period.

Obviously, this is so much easier than done in our lives, but if we witness anything from Jesus’ life, we find the only possibility of living a real and true and satisfying life. The Apostle John wrote of Jesus saying, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). The word "they" means you, me, us!

I think we can all agree that this kind of life is the best one for us.

Yet, let me call out the hot pink elephant in the room... this is risky business. It's not easy getting real in front of others or our Creator. This has been true since the first human beings walked this Earth. Following Adam and Eve’s sin, they felt a powerful emotion in the presence of their Creator: shame. And I think many people believe that when the real them meets the real God, shame results.

"May the real me meet the real you," says Lewis. "But the cost!" you say. The cost is far too great. The fear is that the more real you get real with your Creator, then the more shame and judgment gets heaped on you.

The prayer that precedes all prayers may be the riskiest prayer that one ever prays. It's tough; but, it's also freeing.

Why?

Hear this: When the Lord found Adam and Eve and learned of their sin, do you know what God did in response? He banished them form the Garden, right? Yes, but not before sacrificing an animal, clothing their nakedness, and removing their shame. Even God’s banishment against Adam and Eve was an act of severe mercy to refrain them from the full eternal wrath of God against them.

Thank you, Lord.

At the moment when the real, awful, bare nakedness of Adam and Eve confronted the perfect, sovereign, all-powerful God - when the real Adam and Eve met the real God, that same God removed all their shame and enacted His plan of redemption, culminating in Christ Jesus, who removed the shameful stain of our sin on the cross.

What power! What grace!

Listen, no matter what has happened to, no matter what you have done, no matter what choices you've made, you can trust that when the real you meets the real God, then real life results.

The prayer that precedes all prayers is may the real me meet the real you. May it be yours.