Today was my day to prepare something for services. Dad's gonna do it next week. *grins* Since he nominated me last week, I nominated him this week. *smiles sweetly*

Folks seemed to appreciate what God said through me, so I'm glad I didn't totally mess up what He wanted folks to know.

Anyway, the following is what I said, almost verbatim. I pretty much read this at first, but along about the last page, I just paraphrased. So, for your enjoyment:

Heh.

Sabbath July 12 2003

It is weakness, not power, which binds us to God.

What is �letting go�?

We hear that phrase everywhere� in church, in counseling groups, in advice from friends. It has become the mantra of this decade.

What does �letting go� mean to you?

Open for discussion

To me, �letting go� means taking my hands off the wheel� allowing someone/thing else to have control. I�ve previously believed that that concept really meant it was my responsibility to stop working; to let God solve the problems.

For example: as a parent, teaching the child to tie his or her shoes requires that the child keep their hands off the laces. If the shoes are going to get tied, the parent takes the laces and ties them. I have thought that it was my responsibility to let God tie my shoes and if He didn�t, then I would just walk around with my shoes untied all day.

But, is letting go the only thing we have to do? Is there no further responsibility?

In many situations, I�ve thought that my responsibility ended when God took the reins, so I would wait for a long time� I would wait for God to rescue me; with my shoes untied. I was the person in that joke about the flood where the man�s house is being flooded and he stands on his roof, praying for deliverance.

A powerboat goes by and the man says that he is waiting for God to save him. A row boat goes by and again he says he�s waiting for God to save him. Finally, after more prayer and some desperation, a helicopter goes by and he again says he�s waiting for God to save him.

Eventually, the man drowns and is then talking to God in �heaven�. He asks God why he wasn�t saved; why God didn�t rescue him. And God replies by saying that He sent a power boat, a row boat and a helicopter and the man refused them all.

The lesson I have usually taken from that is that God hears our prayer and grants our requests but sometimes we don�t see the answer because it comes in a form other than supernatural. However, perhaps there is something more to learn from that example.

We have a part to play in our own salvation. We pray for salvation � to stop smoking; for the rent to get paid; for the truck to work; for the food to be in the refrigerator. But, what are we doing? How are we going to fix the problem before us?

At this point in the discussion/situation, many people fall back on the �letting go� principal. Many people, myself included, say things like, �I have to relinquish control of my life to God.� Or, �God will save me, I know He will.�

This is true. It is true that we must relinquish control of our lives to God

Psalm 4:5 psalm 37:3 psalm 73:28 118:9 125:1 prov 3:5

We must trust God. These verses are true and accurate. However, I want to focus on two in particular. Psalm 4:5, 37:3

Psalm 4:5 �Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord.�

Psalm 37:3 �Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.�

You see, there�s a second part to the scenario. These two verses describe, exactly, the concept of true �letting go�. We are to let go of our will; our understanding; our desires; our comfort zone. And we are to do good.

The second part is the one few people talk about or consider. I know I�ve had a rough time of life because I�ve gotten the first part but never the second. The second part never sank in. We are to let go of our will. But then, we are to do good.

When we ask for a gift and then let go of our will, we must then get in the boat. Or the second boat. Or the helicopter.

To return to the first analogy: we understand what it is to let go and let God do all the hard stuff. But we are in this world to learn, to accomplish good works. �Trust in the Lord and do good.� We must put our hands on the laces and tie them.

But how can we both relinquish control to God, and tie our shoes at the same time?

We must first let go of the laces. Why? Because we may well be holding them wrong. Perhaps we have tried tying our own shoes and have only succeeded in making a bunch of knots and frayed ends. We must let go of the laces, and THEN, we must take hold of them again, the way God instructs us to.

Let me repeat that. We must first let go, then we must take hold once more, the way God tells us to.

So, how do we take hold the way God wants us to?

We must listen to and hear what God is telling us.

How do you hear God?

Open for discussion.

I know that Dad has talked about receiving communication from God in the form of a sort of ticker tape message. Correct me if I�m wrong here, but in my understanding, he would get a little warning that a message was coming through, and then there would be a trail of words with the instruction or information God wanted Dad to have.

Open for Dad to explain.

I hear Him in �knowledge� and as an understanding of what I�m supposed to do. I don�t get a separate voice inside my head very often, though it does happen occasionally. Usually I receive a �knowledge� or an �understanding� of what I�m supposed to do; like an idea will pop into my head.

And yet, is hearing enough? Is hearing and listening to what God tells us enough? We�ve already relinquished control. We�ve already listened to what God tells us. What�s next?

The doing.

The doing can be very hard or very easy, depending on your outlook. In the past, I�ve thought that doing something God told me to do required me to do it alone. Like tying my shoes. I would have to find a way to tie them all by myself.

The thing is, God will show me how to tie them. He will sit with me for as long as it takes. He will tell me the �rabbit through the hole� story or gently wait for me to take my hands off the laces AGAIN and show me by example.

Does the letting go, listening and doing process happen only once or is it possible that we may need to let go, listen and do many times? Does this scenario apply to more than one thing? And, can it apply to many things at the same time?

God does not say, �Trust in me once and you�ll never have to lift a finger again.�

God says, �Trust in me and do good.�

Again with the shoelaces. As a parent, and each of you have been parents, teaching your child how to tie his or her shoes, there were times when you had to teach them many, many times. And often, you had to spend half an hour or more instructing your child on how to do the work, multiple times taking their hands off the laces so you could show them again. On top of that, I�m more than sure your children spent many hours practicing all on their own.

What would make a person think that same premise would not apply to our lives as adults? Sometimes we get ourselves into situations where we need God to fix our life again and again and again.

Have Mom describe the whole �God standing back and waiting for us to finish so He can fix it� thing.

So, we must relinquish control, listen to God, and do as He instructs.

But why? Why do we want to go through all that effort when sitting back and waiting for God to fix everything would be so much easier?

Because, when we�ve done it God�s way, we get to enjoy the blessings of the Lord our God. We do the steps, the three steps; as many times as is necessary, so that we can live in peace and harmony.

We can live in the Land He has given us and we can enjoy safety, lushness, delight, glory, peace, happiness.

Psalm 37:3 �Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.�

So, we must trust in the Lord. We must let go of our will, of our control. Then, we must do good. We must listen to what God tells us and act upon it. It may take more than once. It may take a million times. But, if we keep doing the steps, letting go of our pre-conceived ideas, desires, wants and �needs�, and then we listen to what God tells us to do and then do it, we get the reward. We get to dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. We get to live within the embrace of the Lord our God.

Finally: Proverbs 16:3

�Commit to the Lord, whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.�

Commit to the Lord = Relinquish control, listen and do.

Peace unto thy hearts.