Getting Back

I love my children and grandchildren dearly. Surrendering and giving up to God is one of the hardest things to do, especially when it involves my children or grandchildren. I want minimally to “help” God out. Mostly I’d really like God to take my requests and just run with them. Then I’m still in control. No patience needed, no huge amounts of blind trust needed. Me just being me.

In the Gospel of Luke, chapter nine we read about Jesus healing a demon-possessed boy which the disciples had been unable to heal. Jesus told the father to bring his son to Him. When the father brought the son to Jesus, the demon went berserk and tried to kill the child. Jesus rebukes the spirit and heals the boy.

All of that in itself is amazing. But the most telling line for me, the one I have the most to learn from is the one that follows the healing: “Then He gave him back to his father.”

In order for the child to be healed, the parent had to release the child to Jesus. The healing occurred AFTER the child and the child’s future were released, surrendered, to Jesus. And after? The healed child was given back to the parent.

How many times have I insisted on my own way, my own timing, my own power for my children when what was needed was MY surrender for their healing?

Lord, keep me from standing in Your way with my pride.