Weekend Devotion—Letting Go

"But the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me." —the words of Jesus, John 14:31

Let me tell you about a story I heard years ago. I can't remember where, so if the author (or songwriter) is out there somewhere and reads this, please take your credit.

It's about a little girl who constantly carried a set of glass beads. The necklace belonged to her mother who died several years ago. They were worn and tattered, but the little girl never let them out of her sight.

One day, her father pulled her into his lap. A warm fire blazed in the hearth. Each night before bedtime, her father would tell her a story, but this night he looked at the beads she clutched in her hands. "Will you let me have those beads?"

The little girl stared at the necklace and shook her head. "No Daddy. I can't."

The next night, her father tugged her into his lap again. "Tonight will you give me those beads?"

Again, the little girl stared at her beads, rubbed them between her thumb and fingers. "No Daddy, they mean everything to me. I'm sorry."

Every night, the same thing happened, but the little girl refused to part with the necklace. She didn't want to disappoint her father though. Perhaps he needed the beads more than she did? Maybe she should let him have her necklace after all.

So the next night, when her father asked, she handed him the glass beads. "Here Daddy. If it's that important to you, I want you to take my necklace."

He smiled at her and tossed the necklace into the fireplace.

The little girl gasped. How could her father throw away something so precious? She'd held onto that necklace for so long. She turned teary eyes to him. "Why did you do that?"

Her father reached behind his back and pulled out a beautifully wrapped package. "This is for you."

The little girl admired the pretty bow, then pulled the ribbon and paper off. She opened the box and inside lay a gorgeous set of shiny pearls. The little girl squealed in delight and admired the precious gift from her father.

The story came to mind, because I had to let go of something dear to me this past week. I didn't want to. This project has been a huge part of my life for the past two years, but now God is asking me to set it aside for the moment to work on something He's calling me to do.

Stepping out in faith like that isn't easy. Especially when He asks us to release something we've clung to for so long. Change is painful, but it can also be exciting. The trick is taking our eyes off what we're giving up and trusting God to put something even better in it's place. I've never known him to give me less.

Still my heart aches a bit, but I love and trust God so much that I'm willing to let go and see what he has in mind. What a lot of our unbelieving spouses and the unbelieving world doesn't grasp is that obedience to God isn't punishment. It's a reward in and of itself. It's an act born out of love for our Father, who sacrificed his most precious treasure, his Son, to give us something even better. Salvation.

God's calling me to let go of my glass beads, so I will. And who knows. Maybe my box with hold a diamond necklace. :-)

Praying and believing,
Dineen

Comments

[Lynn]

Every time you write, I am touched.

Dineen, This is so true of the world and for us: obedience to God isn't punishment. It's a reward in and of itself. It's an act born out of love for our Father, who sacrificed his most precious treasure, his Son, to give us something even better.

Amen Girl. I know someone who needs this post today and I am sending it to her. Love you, Lynn

[Iris]

Wow - what a wonderful devotion. Yes, we sometimes need to let go of things in order for Him to place new things in our life. Although I don't like change, I know it is necessary for me to grow.

Thank you so much for sharing, Dineen.

[Deb]

this is so encouraging for me right now...its only been recently that I have had my heart in the place where I can trust God to begin to give Him things...and let Him take their place. I am already seeing how good this can be!

[Deb]

this is so encouraging for me right now...its only been recently that I have had my heart in the place where I can trust God to begin to give Him things...and let Him take their place. I am already seeing how good this can be!

[Heather Diane Tipton]

Eww I love this post, girlie. Totally needed that for me today. Totally.

[Denise]

I needed this, thank you sweetie.

[Gretchen]

What a beautiful reminder to trust Him and all He has waiting for us. We can only see the glass beads, but He sees so much more.

[Rosheeda]

I know this feeling. And for me, God has challenged me to do this with relationships. It hurts. But He does exactly what He says He will. I'm praying for you, Chica.