loosen your grip

We all have something here on this earth that we cling to, something that is so valuable to us that we are deeply afraid of losing it.  For some, it might be money or material possessions.  For others, it might be a position or a job.  For me, that thing is relationships.  

I reread Matthew 19:16-26 this morning.  I have it marked in my Bible, and I go back to it often.  This is the passage that recounts Jesus' interaction with the rich, young man who wanted to know how to obtain eternal life in heaven.  Jesus' answer (paraphrased by me) was sell your possessions, give away your money, put your treasure in heaven, and come follow Me.  The young man sadly walked away, because he wasn't willing to loosen his grip on his possessions.

This morning, I found new meaning in this passage.  I know that Jesus is the only way to heaven, so why did Jesus tell the young man he had to give everything away?  Jesus wanted to be the man's #1 priority.  And He wants to be my #1 priority and He wants to be yours. 

I use the words "let it go" frequently.  In my mind, letting something go, means not only loosening my grip on it, but flinging it far away from me.  (I don't do anything half way!)  I've wrestled for a long time with the importance of human relationships in my life.  I tend to put more energy into my relationships with other humans than I do into my relationship with God.  There are many reasons, but none of them are valid.  My question to God has been, "How do I let go of human relationships when you have called me to be in relationship?"

Several weeks ago, God gave me an answer, and He reminded me this morning.  His answer was "loosen your grip".  NOT let go and fling them far away.  Our #1 priority in this life should be relationship with Jesus and following Him.  Our time, energy, and effort should be directed toward that one goal.  Possessions, positions, and relationships are not bad things, but they should never distract us from our #1 priority!  If they do, we need to loosen our grips!

nothing can separate us

I woke up this morning in a grumpy mood.  That isn't the usual for me, and I blamed it on the sudden winter weather.  As I got ready for church, the grumpy in me grew.  Yikes!  But, I went to church with a half smile on my face, knowing that my heart wasn't in it.  The minute I walked in the door, Pastor Stephanie called me up to the front.  Church hadn't yet started, but the worship team was on the stage.  She said something like, "Today is a good day to play your tambourine in the front.  You need to be up here."  I responded with something like, "I'm sure you are right.  I've been grumpy all morning."  So I grabbed my tambourine from my usual spot in the back and went to the front for worship. I am well aware that the sound of the tambourine PUTS some people in a grumpy mood, and I usually try to move away from people when I play.  But, for me, playing my tambourine breaks spiritual strongholds.  It is a declaration of freedom...a declaration that I desperately needed this morning.  I'm so grateful that my pastors understand that!

I've been thinking and praying all day about what it was that I needed to be free from this morning.  I needed to be free from ME!  I've been battling with bronchitis.  I'm tired.  My to-do lists are so long.  And I allowed all of that plus some to distract me from my relationship with God.  I felt disconnected from Him and it is my own doing. 

Romans 8 reassures us that nothing can separate us from God's love.  Verses 35 and 37 say, "Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love?  Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity or are persecuted or hungry or destitute or in danger or threatened with death?  No!  Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us."  That list is far worse than mine, so I'm certain that nothing in my life can separate me from God!

The Apostle Paul goes on to say, "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love.  Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love.  No power in the sky above or the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."  (verses 38 and 39)

God isn't human.  Even if we pull away from Him, He never stops loving us and He longs for us to return.  God extends grace and forgiveness to us EVERY SINGLE TIME that we need it.  God reminded me today that the devil's prime objective is to convince us that we are separated from God.  He can wreak havoc in our lives and shut down our callings and purposes if we believe that lie.  And how he would love to do that, because if the devil can shut us down, He can keep other people from knowing God.  Bottom line, friends.  There it is.  The devil wants to convince us that we are separated from God so that he can KEEP others separated from God.

Not on my watch, devil.  Not while there is still life in my body.  While there is breath in me, I will bring my friend Jesus to every person I am around.  Nothing can separate me from God's love and nothing can keep me from sharing it with the world!