Letting Go to Take Hold

By Rosemary Flaaten –

Letting go is hard for me, especially when it is something very precious to me or has brought significance to my life. Although I’ve heard the saying that from the moment a child is born we are preparing them to leave us, the process of letting go isn’t easy. It seems like only a few sleeps ago that I chose to let go of my firstborn, who was three hours old, so the neonatal nurse could take him to the nursery. Then there was his first day of preschool, feeling like my arms were heavy in their emptiness as I walked alone to the parking lot. The stakes were even higher on his first day of middle school. The realization that this was truly the beginning of the end of my hold on him brought moisture to my eyes and tightness to my gut.

Not too long ago, tears dripped down my cheeks as I commiserated with a mother’s emotions as she described her sense of loss as she pinned her son’s corsage on his wedding tuxedo. She had to let go in order for her son to grasp onto to what lay ahead of him. She realized that no man can be held by both his mother and his wife. It was her job to let go.

This truth permeates our lives. How many times have we tried to take hold of something new without letting go of the old? We must move our belongings and leave an old house in order to move in and fully live out of our new home and neighborhood. We must let go of the emotional ties to our old job and move with conviction and perseverance into our new opportunities. When we ask Christ to be our Lord and Savior, we leave the old life that is ruled by sin and take hold of the grace and love that God offers through His Son. One stage must be left behind in order to move into the next.

The apostle Paul gives his version of this life reality when he says, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13, 14 NIV).

Has God put before you something new for 2011? Is there something that has brought you pleasure, significance or meaning this past year, last month or even yesterday but you sense that today God is saying He has a new thing. Don’t get stuck in a rut where you continue to do something simply because of tradition or comfort. Be open to change. Be alert to where God is at work and then set about to join Him. To do so you may need to let go of the old so you can take hold of the new. Change is propelled by the movement of the Holy Spirit. Be alert! Be Present!

PRAYER: God, may our hearts be open and receptive to listening and discerning the movement of Your Spirit and then may we have the courage to obediently follow You.

Verse:  “Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand new. It’s bursting out!  Don’t you see it” (Isaiah 43:18,19 MSG).

Today’s Devotional is by Rosemary Flaaten. Her successful book, A Woman and Her Relationships helps women process their outside-of-work relationships, so now she’s delving into these 9-5 relationships in A Woman and Her Workplace. Her Relationships book won The Word Guild Award, which is Canada’s top Christian literary honor. A dynamic speaker—Rosemary challenges women of all professions to view their work as a calling and their workplaces as opportunities to live out Christ’s love. Rosemary lives with her husband and three children in Calgary, Canada.

The Green Iceberg

By Rosemary Flaaten –

Monstrous chunks of ice littered the seascape. Balmy weather had resulted in pieces of the glacier breaking off and drifting into open water creating oversized ice cubes with jagged edges, pinnacle spires and a glossy sheen. Icebergs, though magnificent to behold, create a menacing and deadly reality. If seaman only had to concern themselves with the ice that towers above the water surface, these icebergs would need nothing more than their brief attention. But, it is the enormous mass (almost 90% of the iceberg) that looms below the dark surface which poses the greatest risk and requires serious attention.

There is a matter of the heart that presents itself as an iceberg in our lives. We may show glimpses of it occasionally, but most of the time the bulk of this sin looms deep in the darkness of our hearts and minds. This iceberg has a green tinge to it. This sin that threatens our environment, our relationships and our soul is envy.

The wise King Solomon knew of the disastrous effect when he wrote “envy rots the soul” (Proverbs 14:30 NIV). Socrates called envy the ulcer of the soul, and C.S. Lewis referred to it as “the most odious of vices.” Our propensity to compare ourselves to others produces either a prideful superiority or self-debasement. At times we may verbalize these comparisons, but public scrutiny usually keeps these thoughts deep in our hearts and minds. Unfortunately, the relational effect is not hidden. Envy rips apart friendships, lacerates trust and erodes love for others, self and God.

As Christ followers who desire to have an inner spirit that reflects our Savior, we must melt the iceberg of envy. What’s the best way to get rid of ice? Sunshine and salt. Allow God’s light to expose the rot of envy beneath the surface. Let His word be the salt that directs you to love and respect others. Look for the good in others, celebrating who they are, their uniqueness and accomplishments. This will produce a much safer relational environment.

Beware! Icebergs may look harmless above the water surface, but danger looms below. Comparison may make us feel good, but envy destroys our relationships and soul. Let some sunshine and salt bring about a change.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You see my heart. Illuminate for me the relationships and situations where envy has taken root and help me to celebrate each person You bring across my path.

“Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original” (Galatians 5:25-26 The Message).

Today’s Devotional is by Rosemary Flaaten. Her successful book, A Woman and Her Relationships helps women process their outside-of-work relationships, so now she’s delving into these 9-5 relationships in A Woman and Her Workplace. Her Relationships book won The Word Guild Award, which is Canada’s top Christian literary honor. A dynamic speaker—Rosemary challenges women of all professions to view their work as a calling and their workplaces as opportunities to live out Christ’s love. Rosemary lives with her husband and three children in Calgary, Canada.

Angels Watching Over Us

By Rosemary Flaaten –

It was a night like any other. Our three preschool children had bathed and bedtime had consisted of stories and lots of giggles. The last bedtime ritual was a time of thanksgiving and prayer which always ended with “send angels to watch over us”. These prayer times with our children were a special time of tenderness and teaching about God’s provision and protection in our lives.

Despite having a young family, my husband’s job required him to frequently be away from home. The frequency had increased and he found himself with as many nights in hotels as in his own bed. Each night, whether at home or abroad, he would pray that God would watch over his family.

On this particular night, after getting the children to bed and packing his suitcase for his pending trip, he went to bed with a heavy heart, anticipating the time away, the loneliness he would experience and the growing anxiety of separation.

Eventually deep sleep came. But, for some unknown reason, he awoke in the middle of the night. With his eyes open, he rolled to his other side to snuggle next to me. But as he rolled towards me he was astonished by what he saw.

Hovering just over the blankets and in a fully reclining position was a Being – translucent and glowing. It wasn’t an illusion; it had depth and substance to it. It glowed in an iridescent manner. There was an angel not just watching over us but protecting us with his presence.

For a split second he was filled with fear that perhaps I had died, but my rhythmic breathing settled that question. In its place came an intense peace flooding his heart and mind.

My husband is a Type A personality who is not prone to fluctuations of emotion or seeing visions and dreams. But on that ordinary night, this extraordinary encounter gave him the reassurance he needed that God had heard our prayers and that all would be taken care of in his absence.

Prayer: Thank-you for being our loving Father who hears our prayers. Thank-you for being loving, gracious and full of mercy, and for desiring good for your children.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12 NIV).

What’s in a Name?

By Rosemary Flaaten –

What’s the significance of your name? Were you named after a family member or someone famous? Does your name reflect your personality?

My name – Rosemary – was one that my mother always loved and it also was a combination of my paternal Grandmother’s name (Mary) and her only sister (Rose). To top it off, I was born with a high colour complexion which meant that ever since I was a baby, I’ve had rosy cheeks. Thus my father’s nickname “Rosy,” seemed to fit both my complexion and my personality.

In Scripture, the names that God uses to identify Himself always gives evidence of His character. The one that has intrigued me the most is that God is simply known by “My Name”. God assured Solomon and the Israelite people at the opening of the temple that “My Name shall be there” (1 King 8:29 NIV). Jesus promises that “I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God” (Revelation 3:12 NIV), and the Psalmist extols us to “Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people, praise his holy name” (Psalm 30:4 NIV).

“God’s name is associated with his glory, power, holiness, protection, trust and love. To call on his name is to call on his presence. To act in his name is to act with his authority. To fight in his name is to fight with his power. To pray with his name is to pray to him.”

By calling upon The Name of the Lord, we are not just glibly addressing a higher being. We are calling upon every power, all peace, unending strength, boundless love and endless grace. Speaking His Name creates an open door to the God of the Universe. There is power in The Name of the Lord. May we use it with gratitude, reverence and trust.

Prayer: My God, heighten my awareness of the presence and power of your Name.

“Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on their God” (Isaiah 50:10 NIV).

The Power of Kindness

By Rosemary Flaaten –

Holding the door for the young mom pushing a stroller and keeping two toddlers in tow.

Waiting with uncommon patience while the clerk looks up the produce code for my purchase of artichokes.

Sitting with a young couple as they wait for their one year old daughter to return from having a cancerous tumour removed in surgery.

Stocking the pantry with food my teenage son’s friends can devour as they hang out at our home.

Complimenting an elderly woman that she looks like a million bucks in her fur-collared coat.

Acts of kindness.

I’ve been on a mission this spring to be the purveyor of kindness. A purveyor is someone who provides, supplies or makes available. My mission has been to ooze with kindness, to seek out opportunities to show kindness and to do so to a variety of people.

On the days that it seems easy to show kindness to the total stranger at the grocery store, it proves a struggle to come home and speak kindly to the loafing family member. Other times, I’m unwittingly overlooking the person beside me and their need for a kind gesture in favour of a self-absorption that doesn’t allow me to look past the end of my own nose.

To live out the commandment found in Mark 12:30 to love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength I must love my neighbour as myself. The age old question of delineating who might fall into the category of neighbour was fully explained when God became Incarnate and moved into our neighbourhood even though our neighbourhood was characterized by hostility and abandonment. God chose us as His neighbour and He showered us with kindness and love.

Kindness is the quality of compassion and generosity. It’s what spills out of us when we’re filled with God’s Spirit. It cannot be manufactured but it can be practiced. Choosing to discipline ourselves to be someone who seeks out opportunities to show acts of kindness will impact three realms:
1) it’s an act of worship to the God who acted kindly to us
2) it will impact the recipient – who knows how God might use that act of kindness to draw that person to Himself?
3) we’re blessed through obedience –“It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor,
but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy” (Proverbs 14:21 NIV).

Prayer: Lord, gives us eyes that are like Yours so that we might see the needs of people around us and a heart like Yours to be purveyors of kindness.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32 NIV).

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