Letting Go

Devotion

5-5-10

Letting Go

Matthew 16:21-24

“From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.’ But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

 

Reading this verse makes me realize how hard it is not to think about my own interests in life, the things of the flesh that can grip us so hard and drag us down before we know it or to cause someone else to stumble, yet it is so easy to happen.  How do we let go of the things or the people in our lives we love so much? Do we really trust those we love in His care for His glory?  Well, this is a test I am facing right now in my own life.  As I walk this journey of letting go, I share it with you in hopes that it might help in some way with a journey you may be on too.  Below is a letter I wrote to the Lord as I am preparing to let go of a very precious gift in my life for a time, my youngest daughter, Semah.  She will leave next Monday morning, May 10^th at 6 a.m. to serve with the Peace Corps for 27 months in Bulgaria. My heart is heavy, but my faith holds me together.  Pray with me today and allow my prayer to touch your own heart as you insert the name of someone or something you need to let go of.  God bless you as we all are learning to let go.

 

Dear Father,

The days are going by so quickly now, the hours on the clock are ticking louder reminding me that the time will soon be at hand when my precious little girl, now a women, will hug me good bye and get on a plan to fly a very long way away from home.  I know You have called her to this work and she is being obedient. Help me to let go in obedience as well.  Help my heart to beat without a skip and to breathe without a lump in my throat.  Help me to not fear or have anxious thoughts but to trust You completely as I know You are in control.

Go before her Father and be her rear guard.  Place Your righteous hands of protection under the wings of the plan that she will have a safe journey.  Wrap Your arms of love and comfort around her as she leaves home and must face the challenges of life, loneliness, missing the holidays and the family gathers.  Keep her steadfast in Your faithful love, joy, peace and hope.  Raise her up in all she does that she might raise You up.  Use her to glorify Your name and open doors of opportunities to touch lives with Your Light, Love and Life.

 

Father, when I look around the room I see the many things that make me think of her.  I open the kitchen cabinets and see the scriptures she has placed there. I hear a song she has sung before, look at a picture of her smiling face and though each of those things makes me cry, they bring my heart so much joy as well. Because I know she loves You and has committed her life to You.  I am confident that in so doing she has a solid foundation of faith that will guide her, inspire her, encourage her, build her up and help her to keep going no matter what she might face.  She will make a difference in the lives of the people she meets and You will enrich her life in a way she could never imagine.  Wow, what an exciting time.  Help me to remember this on Monday.  Remind me not to be a stumbling block in Your plan.

 

I guess the one thing You are teaching me most from this challenge of letting her go is the lesson of sacrifice, the kind You made so many years ago.  Father, You gave Your Son, You sent Him to earth for a sinner like me to give me hope and a future.  We (Hassan and I) are sending our daughter so that she might bring hope and a better life to those in Bulgaria as You give her opportunities to share Your Love.  Oh what a painful lesson to learn, but what an honor to share in Your pain.

 

I am trying Father, I am letting go. Strengthen me through Your word that I might be strong for my husband and other children through this change in our lives. We will take one day at a time and before we know it her 27 months will be up and she will be coming home.  Therefore, I am letting go so she can come home soon.

 

In Jesus name

Amen