saltandlight

Have you ever seen the picture of a child holding a small teddy bear in front of Jesus and saying “but I don’t want to give it up”? And in the same picture, Jesus is smiling and holding an even bigger teddy bear behind His back, saying, “Trust Me.”

This is a beautiful metaphor of letting go and trusting Jesus. Surrendering everything to Him. It can be hard sometimes. It can be downright painful in some circumstances!

I have been through my own personal battle recently. And I understand how hard letting go can be!

What is it in your life that you are holding on to? What is keeping you from growing in your walk with the Lord?

Maybe it’s something that’s taking up most of your free time, something that’s distracting you from spending time with Him. Or maybe it’s a burden you’re constantly worrying and praying about, so much so that it’s taken your focus off of trusting Him.

There are countless examples given in the Bible about trusting God. I think He was trying to tell us something. Perhaps one of the hardest things for parents to do is trust Him with our children.

Abraham was given the ultimate test of faith and surrender!

Genesis 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Can you imagine? I wonder how Sarah felt about this! Did she even know? These are the things I wonder about…. I like to imagine that conversation when Abraham and Isaac returned home. I can just imagine her saying “You did what”!? 😅

But Abraham didn’t question God. He obeyed. Step by step, he followed everything God told him to do. Even when Isaac asked him about the offering, Abraham expressed unwavering faith: “God will provide.”
And He did.

That is how we should trust God with everything. Even with our children, especially once they are grown. (I’m talking to myself now.) We should obey Him and then trust Him with the outcome!

In order to have that kind of faith, it takes spiritual growth. It takes daily walking and talking with the Father. We would all probably like to have spiritual growth without the work, but it just doesn’t happen that way. Like any real relationship, it takes time, intention, and heart. And that builds trust.

The rest of the story, Genesis 22:9-13 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

God spared Isaac and provided a ram for sacrifice instead. Just as Abraham trusted that He would. Abraham obeyed right up until that very last moment though. That is the kind of trust he had. And that is the kind of trust we need to have in our Lord. Because that’s the kind of God we serve!

If you have read enough of the Bible and you believe it’s all true, then you know He works miracles. And if you have lived enough life on this earth then you have probably seen a few miracles yourself!

So I’ll ask again:

What is God asking you to let go of?
What might be hindering your walk with Him?

He may already be bringing something to your mind. Maybe more than one thing. Start by praying about it. Let Him lead. He is trustworthy—and surrendering to Him is always worth it.

Blessings,

~ Cheryl