Merritt Opening Song: #309 All to Jesus I Surrender Title: Let God
Scripture: Matthew 28:20
A man named Jack was walking along a steep cliff one day; he accidentally got too close to the edge and fell. On the way down he grabbed a branch, which temporarily stopped his fall. He looked down and to his horror saw that the canyon fell straight down more than a thousand feet. He couldn't hang onto the branch forever, and there was no way for him to climb up the steep cliff. So Jack began yelling for help, hoping that someone passing by would hear him and lower a rope or something. “HELP! HELP! Is anyone up there? HELP!"
He yelled for a long time. He was about to give up when he heard a voice. “Jack, Jack. Here I am."
“Yes, who are you, and where are you?”
"I am the Lord. I'm everywhere."
"God, please help me! I promise if You'll get me down from here, I'll stop sinning. I'll be a really good person. I'll serve You for the rest of my life."
"Easy on the promises, Jack. Let's get you out of there. Now, here's what I want you to do. Listen carefully."
"I'll do anything, Lord. Just tell me what to do."
"Okay. Let go of the branch."
"What?!"
"I said to let go of the branch. Just trust Me. Let go."
There was a long silence. Finally Jack yelled, "HELP! HELP! Is anyone ELSE up there?"
Many times in our lives, we worry. I worried about my children. I worried if I’d be able to hold my tongue when people got on my nerve. Worry does nothing but cause anxiety. If there’s a problem you’re worried about, STOP worrying. What you’re worried about becomes bigger the more you worry. Say a prayer, let go of the problem, let God work it out. Easy to do, right?!
I struggled to overcome my mountain, but no matter how hard I tried, nothing made a dent. I had my own idea how God should move my mountain, but His ways are not our ways. It's not logical to us a mountain would move in the real world.
Jesus is "author" of our faith, Hebrews 12:2. A good writer doesn't tell the whole story in 1st chapter. He reveals things as the reader goes along. The thing is, most of us don't want to live our lives like that! When I was young, every book I read, I’d look at the last page first. If I liked the last page, then I’d read the book. God did tell the end, "All works together for good." He doesn't tell us WHEN it's going to happen. After all, wouldn't that ruin the story?
If we truly believe, then relax, enjoy the story, watch it unfold one event at a time. Too often we rush to "event points" in our lives, when the house is sold, new one built, wedding day, the birth, new job, retirement, second honeymoon, grandchildren. We are anxious, frustrated, worried in between. We waste the waiting period. But really, it's our life! Moments between where we are and where we want to be are our life! They are power of now. Jesus is priest of all good things that have come, Hebrews 9:11.
Follow God's guidance as He gives it. We seek to know the whole way before we take a single step. In Acts 12, the angel tapped Peter, woke him, told him rise quickly. Prison chains fell from his hands. The angel said, “Put on your clothes, sandals, coat and follow me." Peter wasn’t even sure he was awake, but he followed step by step. They passed first and second guard. Peter didn’t stop to question how they'd exit, just followed. When he got there, the gate opened. That’s how God leads. "The steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord", Psalm 37: 23.
SONG: I WILL BE HERE FOR YOU
We want God to show us the whole path. Apostle Paul and friends went through Galatia and would pass into Asia, but God said, "No." Paul passed Mysia for the next province. Again "No" so he came to Troas. There a vision led him to Macedonia. Step by step the Spirit led. The thing for us is to take the next step God shows us in answer to prayer and not wait until God shows the whole way. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step, said Dr. Martin Luther King. Point is not to see what lies dimly at a distance but do what lies clearly at hand. We’re troubled because God didn’t show all next year’s calendar. Follow step by step; the gate will open as you go. God the author knows how to write a story that carries you along, mystifies but has ending He knows best.
The Who, What, When, Where, How and Why questions, the only two we control are What and Why. What we want from life and why. The rest is up to God. He controls who’s involved, when, where and how. Trust accepts God's answers and admits our motives. As I learn to let go, I know my faith isn't perfect. The story isn't told; God’s grace isn’t finished with me yet. If we’re tense, concerned about anything, let go and let God fill our need. No matter what seems to be missing from our life, a person, place, activity or feeling.
Relax from strain. Take time to say, “I let go and let God.” We stop obsessing about our strength; we find God’s love takes care of what you and I could NEVER do. Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally without reproach and it will be given to him.” We let go personal striving and let God have FULL control. Little Johnny asked grandma how old she was. Grandma answered, “39 and holding.” Johnny thought a moment then he said, “And how old would you be if you let go?” During the critical point in Jesus’ life, when His disciples lost courage, they saw Jesus surrender to the Father.
Song: LEAVE IT THERE
Even though it may seem during challenges of life that you are separated from your greatest comfort, security or supply, remember God always fills your need. No matter how far it seems between you and your deepest desire, we CAN trust God’s love and wisdom. God makes dark places light, rough places smooth, crooked places straight. We need willingness to give things over to God, surrender to His love, become open vessels so His Love can flow into our lives.
As humans we respond to hurt and pain: either we vent anger and frustration or we push hurts, resentments down and bury them. If we have Jesus in our hearts there’s a third way: recognize our thoughts and emotions and give them over to God rather than acting them out or burying them. Getting over a painful past is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.
As children bring their broken toys with tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God, because He is my Friend.
But then, instead of leaving Him in peace to work alone;
I hung around and tried to help, with ways that were my own.
At last, I snatched them back and cried, "How can You be so slow?"
"My child," He said, "What could I do? You never did let go."
We all want to be in control of our life. I know! We want what we want when we want. But God is a God of timing and seasons, and only He knows when we’re ready for what we’re praying for. Scripture says there are battles we don’t have to fight. 2 Chronicles 20:5, Hearken all Judah, inhabitants of Jerusalem, and king Jehoshaphat, Thus says the Lord, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. Verse 22, When they began to sing and praise, God set ambushments against enemies of Judah, and their enemies were defeated.
SONG: STAND STILL LET GOD MOVE
Worry and faith don’t go together. Either we worry or have faith in God. Worry is to say there is no God to help me. Hebrews 11:6, we must believe there is a God and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him. So if we’re going to pray to Him, let’s believe in His love. I can only let go to a God who loves me as much as Jesus loves me. No matter how hard we try, we can't change another person or circumstances. To let go is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is in God's hands. To let go is not to fix but be supportive; not to over protect, but permit people to face reality and learn from their choices; not to adjust everything to our desires. Let go is to let God.
Important things I needed to let go were yesterday and tomorrow! I would dwell on what happened, worry about future. Now is Enough to Deal With! I used to be a control freak. Trust isn't something that comes naturally to me because of my troubled childhood, but I can’t control my own life AND surrender to God. The two are opposed. Letting go of control over life is a big step of faith. It's honestly scary, but God is there for you. Do we live with an iron fist of control, almost willing the outcome that we want? Yet the more we try, the more we’re disappointed. We make our own reality through our perception. We either let God or BE God.
So how do you learn to let go? There’s the hard way, which many of us tried. Facing extreme adversity and falling flat. Refusing to accept the way things are until losing friends, family, our self respect, integrity, our sanity, maybe losing it all. From shadows of the valley, when you look around, you learn the only way to survive is to let go. People who faced death, trauma, survived life-altering events, find the truth that we cannot do it.
The only way is to let God take the wheel. Beauty in the world and life’s great mysteries are evidence there IS Someone bigger than us Who guides the ebb and flow of life. Humbly accepting ability to control even ourselves is hard enough, to control others is impossible. It’s not accepting defeat but appreciating our limitations. We ultimately learn what will be, will be, no matter how hard we wish.
SONG: FLIGHT OF FANTASY
People capture wild monkeys. He reaches in and grabs a trinket, standing free outside the cage with fist trapped inside. Do we hang onto wounds, fears, opinions, status, things? Open wide our hands and place them in nail-scarred hands of Jesus. Can you imagine when Noah and his sons began to build a giant boat? When Daniel prayed leaving a giant problem of lions’ den to God? Joshua faced a giant task after Moses’ death? They had to lean on God, and God held them.
A man went to an auction. He bid on a parrot. He was getting outbid, so he bid higher and higher. After he bid way more than intended, the parrot was his! Paying, he said to the Auctioneer, "I sure hope this parrot can talk. I would hate to have paid this much only to find he can't talk!" "Don't worry." said Auctioneer, "He can talk. Who do you think kept bidding against you?" In life we can be like that parrot, holding out against our Master.
Greatest evidence of God’s desire to guide our lives is He gave us the Bible to know His purpose. Will everything be easy? It may be harder by world’s standards, but IT’S ALL God’s power. Letting go of me and grabbing hold of God, and then not letting go. This paradox takes courage because you must let go of you to hang onto Jesus. How did Jesus let go on earth? He cried, “Not my will but Yours be done.” Choosing God’s will brings peace in letting go. Thomas Williams said, "Today’s world is rife with betrayal, from parents to friends to spouses to priests to institutions. Deeper problems start when we begin to question God’s trustworthiness. Trust is backbone of Christian life.”
First step in trust is understanding God cares about our suffering. He is NOT distant or unconcerned. He truly “feels our pain” more deeply than we do. This is message of the cross. We all go through tough times, but we ARE loved by God. If Jesus was not loving, then we’d be taking a horrible risk to let Him have full control. Because of Who Jesus is, we can let go and let God.
SOLO: You Are Loved Let God