Ponderings

Devotionals, prayer & insights from my Bible reading

Freedom builds (or destroys) trust (Prayer devotional for the week of Oct. 23)

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If you’ll indulge me in a pop culture reference, a line from the movie Footloose has been dancing around in my mind. The Rev. Shaw Moore stands before his congregation and admits that he is having second thoughts about how forcibly he has tried to protect the town’s teens from themselves. He asks, “If we don’t start trusting our children … how will they ever become trustworthy?”

It’s the parental question of the ages. We want our kids to grow up and become law-abiding, contributing members of society, yet it’s difficult to let go and take the risk that they might fall flat on their faces.

Galatians 5:13 (The Message) tells us: “It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom …” Like a parent reminding a teen to obey curfew and stay out of trouble, God the Father allows us freedom but still has expectations of us. Instead of taking advantage of the loosened apron strings and abusing the trust given to us, the verse goes on to instruct us: “… Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows.”

That’s how freedom grows! It’s not just a matter of earning a later curfew; it’s about building trust. I encourage you to read Romans 6:16-18; it is an excellent passage about freedom in Christ and the oppression of sin. Jesus’ sacrifice broke the chains of bondage; why would we want to lock the chains back in place ourselves? Freedom is not an all-you-can-indulge, raucous free-for-all.

Freedom in Christ is life.

The best worst day of my life

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I’m writing this post ahead of time, because I know that when the day finally rolls around, I’ll be a blubbering fool, incapable of making coherent sentences.

Today is the day that my late brother’s fiance is getting married. I am so very, very happy for her. And yet, my heart aches so very, very much.

They would be approaching their second anniversary together. I might even have been an aunt again by now. Instead, she had to cancel reservations and go through the heartache of explaining to vendors why the wedding was off. I was still wallowing in my own raw grief at that point, and I only vaguely remember thinking how awful it must have been to tell a stranger that your fiance had died.

*Stop, tears! If I can’t even write a blog post, how am I supposed to make it through the wedding?!?

The fact is, I’m not going to make it through the wedding with dry eyes; I already know that. I just hope that I can control my weeping and not cause a scene.

How can you be so happy for someone and yet so overwhelmed with heartache all at the same time? I love her like a sister, and she will always be part of the family, in my eyes. We call each other sisters-in-love instead of sisters-in-law. That’s who she is. I used to tease my brother that he *finally* picked a good one. I was really looking forward to having a “sister.” I love her very much and want only the best for her.

Truthfully, today is an answer to more than two years of prayer. As soon as I could get beyond “Lord, help me make it through today” sorts of prayers (ah, who am I kidding — I still send up those survival-mode prayers!), I prayed for her to find love again. I asked the Lord to match her up with a godly man after His own heart, someone who will heal her grief and walk alongside her through their new life together … someone she can grow old with.

The Lord answered.

I wish it could be my brother meeting her at the end of the aisle, with that smitten puppy look on his face that he had every time she walked into a room. I wish my nephews were carrying ring pillows or standing tall as junior groomsmen by their Daddy.

I wish …

Lord, today and evermore, please bless this union that we witness today. Thank you that in your wisdom and divine providence, you saw fit to bring them together. Guide their steps as they walk this journey of life. Thank you that your mercies are new each and every morning. Thank you for bringing her love again.