let go

Saturday, June 21, 2014 (6:28 a.m.)

Blessed Father,

It's the first day of Summer. The longest day of the year. A day that could be filled with joyous thoughts of You and all You provide. I am asking You to teach me to let go of any preconceived notions of all that may or may not take place today.

Let go. Surrender. Allow You to truly be Lord and God of my life.

The longest day of the year is a good day to start again. Thank You for winding me back to Your Word. Romans 8 particularly. The Spirit's Power; Life in the Spirit. Verse two, “For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death.”

The Message says it this way, “The Solution Is Life on God's Terms Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air; freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.”

So here goes with my latest attempt at letting You truly be the God of my life. I struggle Father. There was unrealistic bar of excellence that was set, but rarely modeled, for me years ago. Although I recognize it as not being able to be met by me, I still find myself making the futile attempts toward it.

Thank You that even in confessing that I get to once again turn to Matthew 11:28-30 and shed the tears that too often stay locked inside. “Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.'”

Submission and Rest is the title of a devotion for Step 3 (“We made a decision to turn our will and our life over to the care of God”) in The Life Recovery Bible. The final paragraph brings it all home for me.

“Taking on a yoke implies being united to another in order to work together. Those who are yoked together must go in the same direction; by doing so, their work is made considerably easier. When we finally decide to submit our life and our will to God's direction, our burdens will become manageable. When we let Him do the driving, we will 'find rest' for our soul. He knows the way and has the strength to turn us around and get us on the road toward recovery.”

Blessed Father God, I believe this to be true! I know You to be good. Merciful. Generous. Kind.

Thank You that I get to come to You confessing my own tendency to burden myself and others with unrealistic expectations. Yoke me securely to You today that I will truly follow Your lead. I absolutely desire to let go of my own plans and embrace Yours for me.

I love You Father. I thank You Jesus. I ask You Holy Spirit to do in and through me all that I am completely incapable of being, desiring, thinking and doing on my own. Truly have Your way with me. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(583 words ~ 8:02 a.m.)