Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Open Hands



This morning I was reading the "word for the day" on http://www.ucb.co.uk/index.cfm?itemid=67 and it coincided with what has being mulling over in my mind lately....


".............In the same way, anyone who holds on to life
just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love,
you'll have it forever, real and eternal" '
(John 12:24-25 TM).
Paul knew that 'death to the flesh'
was so crucial to a victorious Christian life that it became
the cry of his heart: Listen, 'I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience His resurrection power, be a partner in His suffering, and go all the way with Him...' (Philippians 3:10 TM) Want to be in dwelt and energised by the force of the resurrection?

Be willing to lay down:
1) your will
2) your desires
3) your pride
4) your independence.
We are talking here about reaching the place where the only thing that matters is what God wants! It's the exact opposite of all your natural instincts. 'How will I know when I have died to self?' you ask. Because you can criticise a dead man, walk on him and he is not affected by it. That's because he has moved to a higher dimension."





Letting go?


Don´t we all just love to do that?? We would all WANT to be able to do it better than we do, but often (in my case at least!!!) with great intent we leave our struggles, pain, etc... at the cross and when know one´s looking we sneak it back!!!!

When I was falling in love with my now husband of 20 years (we celebrate the 20 years on Sept 19th!!) I was seeking the Lord as to if he was the right one for me, God challenged me to live with open hands.... To entrust this question into God´s hands and leave mine open to let Him do whatever he wanted in my life. This prayer developed into a song and here are the lyrics:

OPEN HANDS
Lord help me live with open hands
never making my demands
higher than they ought to be
In front of your plan for me
Help me have that willing heart
Eager to make a start
Of giving you my deepest desire
Knowing your ways our higher
Chorus:
Lord I want open Hands
Willing to give what you demand
Open hands that say
Have your own way
Have your own way
And with my hands outstretched to you
I know that you'll be true
To your precious word
I accept you as my Lord
Copyright words
AjB

Now, 20 years down the road, I find myself once again challenged by God to have open hands. This time, it is with regards to my children. Just the other day as we were driving to church, this song just popped back into my head out of the blue. I haven't thought about it for about 20 years..... but God hadn't lost sight of it and here He was reminding me of it!!!

I, unlike most of my blog friends, am entering a new level of motherhood, as many have done before me, the level of letting go.

Having younger kids often proves to be very physically taxing, and yes they are hard work, but you have the upper hand on "controlling" their environment and the results of their misconduct do not seem to have such serious ramifications outside of a "time out" or asking forgiveness for snatching the other siblings/friends toy.

But as the teenage years are reached, one begins to deal with issues such as flunking in school, (which inevitably messes up in the work scene later on), or temptation with drugs ..the list is endless...

The seriousness of the domino effect of their mistakes at this stage is much weightier and the borders or your worrying extend as far as the eye can see. The challenge of "letting go" or living with "open hands" takes on a whole new perspective and challenge for me right now.

It seems that long gone are those days where you would enjoy Postman Pat and Legos, and the tremendous satisfaction of being able to solve their problems easily. When only Mum could make things better with a plaster on their "booboos" and untangle the knots in their running shoes.

It isn´t so easy now to fix their broken hearts from the rejection of their first love, being deceived by their best friend or their struggles with self esteem. No it´s a whole new ball game, when you just thought you had this parent thing down!!!! The rules have changed and so has the strategy.....


But you know what???? The only thing that hasn´t changed in this ratio is that God is sill the same and His love for my kids/ our kids is greater than ours!!!

Yes believe it or not, and for any mother this is very hard to conceive, God does love your kids more than you and He is ultimately concerned for their welfare and future.

This summer has just been a reminder to me that God is on my side.....I don´t have to be like Sarah and find a Hagar to solve my problems... God is there. His timing and plan might differ from mine, but He is at work.... and I can rest with my children in open hands.

14 comments:

Braving the Storm said...

There is such wisdom here Ally - and I know that you have learnt it in the fire! May God give us all the strength to 'let go' when we are in situations where to do so is such a challenge.

Thanks.

Ally said...

Thanks Eric, I hope you are doing better!

A Captured Reflection said...

Welcome back to blog land...I'm heading off in a few hours, but had to have a read. I loved your song and the lyrics were amazing. Your gifting there is incredible and that 20 years on it was reminded to you, in this new phase, albeit a new phase that means trusting God again with open hands; suggesting to me he's going to place the tools in your hands and the strategy to be able to overcome and be victorious through this!

A beautiful post. God has been talking to me in the last few days to lay down selfish ambition, that it be his will not mine..he's being gentle, but the old flesh is like...ooh where will that take me and what will it cost, even when you know God is always right!

Masked Rabbit said...

Incredible post, Ally, straight from the experience you are having so fresh as morning bread! It's funny how we get through one thing and hope that is it but there are more lessons to be learnt and we get to grow through it. Amazing song there too. I hope you are still writing...?

Ally said...

Thanks for the encouragement! Karen...have a nice trip... Bunnygirl, it seems that the last years the songwriting well has been dry....who knows? Thanks for the affirmation!!

dorina said...

Dear Ally,
I love that song too, reading the lyrics brought back many memories. God's grace is sufficient for each day and for each stage of our lives. Motherhood is challenging but I wouldn't change it for anything! Thank you for that inspiring post. Not having had my girls here for the last month, I felt a little bit the empty nest syndrome and did not like it! It's hard to let go, but underneath are the everlasting arms.
Love you,
Doreen

A Captured Reflection said...

Hello there, Just back...more soon, but I noticed that you'd said on Bunnygirl's blog that you had a close encounter with death at aged 4, and being the nosey person I am, I wondered if you would mind sharing about it. I had no idea.

Anonymous said...

I could feel your affliction by reading this as well as your hope in God (the duality the post talks about and we all go through all the time).
I´ve been experiencing something like that (a bit different because I´m older and the issues are others) but from the other side, as daughter, although I understand completly the parents one. It´s like cutting the "cordão umbilical" (did you get that? umbigo = navel) for becoming each day more an adult (=0 this scares). Sometimes it´s good, sometimes it´s very hard... But as I told my mom, in the end some stuff don´t change, they´ll be always the ones to rely on, tell and share things even because they´re also my friends and I wanna keep this forever! jeje x)
I finished reading really desiring to listen to you singing that song! Oh Gosh... :***

Bonnie said...

Ally,

Me too ( desiring to listen you you singing that song ) ! As I was reading the words, I found myself trying to listen to you sing it. I have always loved your voice !

Bon

A Captured Reflection said...

Is there anyway you could record this song and put it on here? I so feel the need to hear it now, as a few others have mentioned. Would UTube work...Bonnie will know I'm sure, she's got a few of these on her blog.
xxx

Ally said...

actually it was the first sing that my honey said...to attatch the song somehow... I will see if I can make that happen with the help of my computer whizz son!!!! I didn´t think it would actually cause that much commotion to be honest.... I figured the words would be enough!!

A Captured Reflection said...

I really believe there is an anointing on this song wonderful cos. Do you remember I said to you I kept feeling you should write? I wonder if it is songs again, a new season, a new day, a fresh anointing. I'm not sure but when I read this post the first time, and then another time I was caught up in a feeling of destiny and excitement.

A Captured Reflection said...

Still hoping to hear your song online at some point. I'm pretty excited about it :-)

Ally said...

Yes karen I havent forgotten, but with our computer going down again and then realizing I will probaly have to record it like that off the bat because I only have it on tape, kind of proposes a bit more time & effort...But we will see what we can do....