Letting Go - For His Glory - Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Wow - what a month. June, 2009 will, for me, go down in the history of my recent life as one filled with a LOT of sadness and, well, letting go. Two of our neighbors have had to let go (hopefully, temporarily) of the possibility of a lifetime marriage. A dear friend has had to let go of his wife to full time nursing care as she is stricken with advanced Alzheimer's and he has had to let his cancer-ridden daugther go Home to be with Jesus. One of my lifelong friends and her family has had to let go of her older sister who died suddenly of a massive heart attack this past Saturday. Me, well, I have had to let go - at least for now - of our Joey to allow him to find his way back to us and to Jesus - in God's time and I am having to let go of the grip I had on what I thought was the certainty of employment as our Firm is closing and, unless another door opens, I will be unemployed for the first time in many years. Since hearing the news of our Firm's closing and learning that I would not "go" with either partner to his new "adventure" as a full-time employee I have been exquisitely sad - grieving the loss, scared of the unknown future. My sweet brother and his wife endured such a loss when the construction industry came to an abrupt end two years ago and he sold a 16-year lucrative business. They had to sell their "dream" home and for the most part, he has been unemployed for nigh on a year - ever hopeful, ever diligent but remaining faithful to be obedient to God's direction. As my older sister and I were chatting last evening about "stuff" and the upcoming celebration for my parents' 50th Anniversary I finally told her "you know, Rob, if I lose everything it's gonna be okay and God is still gonna be God." In that moment, I knew I had let go of what I thought was my security -- my job, my home, my "stuff" and was reminded by the Holy Spirit that my security - OUR security my dear friends, is in our relationship with the Almighty God. Life IS temporary and marriages can be too. Jobs - well, we know what has happened and will continue to happen. Children and parents die and we grieve and we grieve the loss of where we are believing that if we are not "here" then where will we be? Job - confronted with the loss of his entire family and everything he owned said this

(Chapter 1, beginning at Verse 21)

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,

and naked I will depart.

The Lord gave

and the Lord has taken away;

may the name of the Lord be praised."

22 IN ALL THIS, Job DID NOT SIN

by charging God with wrongdoing.

In a later chapter of Job's story Job asked if we should only take the good and not the bad? His wife told him he should curse God and die but Job told her "I KNOW that MY redeemer lives and HE at LAST on earth WILL stand!" HALLELUJAH my friends!! I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES and He desires for me - for us - to let go of everything and cling to the one certainty - an eternal life with Him when He is our Savior and King and we abide in the Shelter of the most high God!!! Do I want to "let go" of my home? No, but it's brick and mortar and while I believe it is a gift from God and we live there at His ordination if He has a different plan for us - so be it! No, I'm not gonna lay down and say "whatever" when it comes to generating an income - that would be irresponsible and I would not be a good steward of the talents God has given me as a paralegal and health educator. But, friends, God has numbered EVEN the hairs of our heads and "look at the lillies of the field" - Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these!!! TAKE HEART dear ones - regardless of what is going on around us - GOD IS STILL GOD and He at last on earth SHALL STAND!! Let go - Let God. Pray for us because life is tough and we need all the intercession you'll do for us. Trust as you come to me with your requests, I am lifting you to the throne of Grace and carrying you to the feet of Jesus. Loving you, with HIS love and For His Glory - Andrea and Brendan