In His Grip

I pride myself in the ability God gave me to trust Him. My faith didn't come from me mustering it up, it is a gift from Him. Not only is it a spiritual gift He gave me, but also a result from spending time in His Word (faith comes by hearing, and hearing from the Word of God) and it was built through many circumstances stacked on top of each other of trusting Him and seeing Him come through. The more you trust God, the more you trust God.

BUT...  when it comes to my kids, it seems so different. It seems I continually have a tightening grip on them coming from worry and fear. What if this and what if that.

BUT GOD...

Right in the midst of my worry, anxiety and desire for control to keep them from anything bad... right in the midst of what God calls that, sin (since whatever is not from faith is sin. Rom. 14:23) God leads, God rescues, God redeems, God shows grace upon grace, God steps in and saves me and my kids. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5:8

Joseph. The worst thing I could ever imagine happening to my kids happens to Jacob/Israel's son, Joseph. He is sold into slavery. BUT GOD...  comes though. When Joseph was in the worst of circumstances, God never left Him. Jacob/Isreal could not be there to keep Joseph from harm, BUT GOD was there. God never left him. He lead, He used it to rescue, He redeemed, He showed grace upon grace, He saved!

But God coming through didn't look like it does most other places in Scripture. When God tells someone "I will be with you." He means He is going to come through for them in some remarkable way. (And He gives that promise to you, and to me when we step out and walk in the mission He gave us of making disciples. Mt. 28:19-20). With Moses, Joshua, Gideon, David and so on, "I will be with you" meant that God was going to come through and give victory over thier oppressor by pouring out His wrath and destroying them. But not here. God doesn't use Joseph to destroy Potiphar and the Egyptians. God doesn't rescue Joseph out of captivity, but ends up using Joseph's captivity to lead the Egyptians out of death (the plague to come in Gen. 41).

Grace upon grace.

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What if some teacher at their preschool says something contrary to what God says is true? What if some kid is mean to them? What if thier privacy is invaded and little minds corrupted? My fears and worries for them come from all that is outside the home. But Joseph... and for many others I know (I dont have first hand experience here, since I grew up as an only child) the bad influence, the harm was not brought from outside the home, it came from within. Joseph's brothers sold him. Many others I know were exposed to pornography and drugs through older siblings. Just because they are in the home doesnt not mean they are exempt from harm. My grip alone, my control can not rescue, save, redeem and show grace upon grace.

Only God.

So whether inside the home or outside, only God is worthy of my trust of my kids. He promises He will come through in His concern and care for them:

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isa. 41:10

"But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." Isa. 43:2

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Throughout time, the Great I AM holds my kids (and your kids) in His tight grip... freeing me to loosen mine.

This video will blow your mind reminding you how worthy Jesus is to have our full trust and loosened grip in everything.

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