Open Hands

As I reflect on the last year I am absolutely blown away by everything that God has done, and most importantly, by what He's taught me that have changed my heart and will help me with every step I take for the Kingdom.  He's teaching me to walk in unconditional love, and the lesson of the last few days just adds to it.

As I thought about a dear friend's impending move to South Korea, the message that suddenly resonated in my head was "Live open-handedly".  Ever since this friend re-entered my life a year ago I had a distinct feeling that I should hold her friendship with open hands because God might move.  As the spring approached and my friend made the exciting decision to teach in South Korea I realized why God had impressed that upon me.  So why is this so important?  Because I didn't use to live this way.  In the past, I would cling tight to whatever was given to me; friends, family, clothes, jobs, plans, etc.  When I received something I would be like, "Ok, so what's my plan for handling this?  How do I make sure everything will be alright?"  This winter God showed me that I was clinging too tightly to certain friendships that I was beginning to suffocate them and He asked me if I would trust them into His care.  I was reluctant but I agreed.  As I began to lose touch with some friends I let go of my desire to control and make sure I wouldn't lose them and put my faith in the Lord.  Thankfully, with each friendship, He brought them back to me in times that they were most needed.  He was faithful!

By living with open hands we say to the Lord, "Thank You for this gift that you've given to me, but I understand that You could ask for it back at any time and I'm okay with that because I know that You're good."  We give up our plans, our dreams, our desires, our people, our lives.  And God places in our hands what He sees best at the right times.  Some gifts He never gives back, some gifts He allows us to hold onto for a very long time.  However, when we try to cling and squeeze ever harder we find that we begin to break the gift, that we're destroying it's beauty.  Living open-handedly is not easy because it requires a huge amount of faith and humility, faith that God will be good no matter what and humility to help us realize that only God knows what's best for us.  It also requires knowing the only place where your identity and value can solidly lie: in our Savior.

I encourage you today to give up everything You have to the One who can be trusted to work something amazing for your good and the good of the Kingdom.  Surrender yourself, your plans, your people, your home, your job, your car, your clothes.  And realize that whatever God does take from your hands He will replace with something even better because He loves you!