“There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside you: neither is there any rock like our God.
Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogance come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.” 1 Samuel 2:2-4
This is from the prayer of a woman (Hannah) who the bible tells us was ‘barren’. In biblical times, the pressure to produce children was intense. It ensured both inheritance and legacy and kept one in good ‘social status.’ For Hannah, her entire world was a shamble. Her grieving had become consumptive and her mourning an ‘affliction’ (1 Samuel 1:11). In her repenting, she vowed that, if she ever had a child, she would dedicate him to God instead of having an extension of herself or a proof to her enemies. When her son was born, she named him Samuel and gave him in apprenticeship to Eli (the priest). Although she had yearned for a child, she understood that she did not own him; his destiny and purpose were of God. She let him go, not easily, but with deep love and a prophetic understanding.
Lent can be a time of wrestling and letting go. Mustering discernment to assess what we truly own versus what God has merely entrusted to our care. Higher purposes propel through action and we are called to respond (easier) or just witness (harder if it involves someone we love and treasure). Physical, emotional and spiritual, God’s power is at work and it is through His plan that all are liberated and perfected. If only letting go was not so hard...
Submitted by Fredrikson Center Team
Prayer Father God, Grant me strength to relinquish power and control in areas ultimately guided by Your grace and purpose. Help me to not confuse the temporary with the permanent. Aid me as I let go of sinful ways in thinking and being. Edit the plans of my heart to best reflect Your will.