My Daddy Won't Drop Me
Let me start by saying that I have been incredibly blessed to have amazing parents. My growing up years were spent nestled in the sanctuary like safety of a loving, Christ centered home with two parents who constantly maintained peace and unity with one another and their children. But, as in all families, accidents happen.
I was an abnormally fussy baby with high preferences as to how I liked to be held. My loving daddy had figured out that I had a weird fetish with being carried around like a flying football. Stomach down, stretched out across his forearm, chin in his hand, feet near his belt. On a day just like any other I, as a little 3-4 month old baby, was fussing as I impatiently waited for him to prepare my bottle. Apparently my poor "new father" of a daddy was either not moving fast enough or I was being incredibly problematic. Either way I made the brilliant decision to hook my feet in his belt and flip out of his arms. I landed on my head, on a hard floor, and was knocked unconscious with a giant purple goose egg protruding out of my head. If you want the rest of the story you'll have to ask the great Paul Harvey himself but, suffice it to say, I lived (I feel free to share this story because it's become somewhat of a family joke and my poor dad will never live it down. Believe me, I'm not bitter! I just blame him for any abnormal or problematic personal characteristics I may possess!).
Now lets make a giant mental leap together...
Recently John the Baptist seems to be a common theme in my personal reading and the sermons I've been exposed to. It was as I was sitting through one of these sermons that the speaker said, "Sometimes I have a hard time letting go of control because I'm so afraid that God will drop me." I spent the rest of the day mulling on this statement and was struck by how common a concern it seems to be within the human race. At the same time, I was struck by the Gospel as it is the answer to our struggle and the assurance that allows us to let go, by faith, and be held securely in the loving hands of God.
In Matthew 11 we find John the Baptist imprisoned for his faith. He was the one to prepare the way for Jesus (Matthew 3), defend the platform of Jesus (John 3:22-36), and was now preparing to sacrifice his very life for the sake of Jesus (Matthew 14). As he knew that his life was drawing to a close he sent messengers to Jesus to confirm that Jesus truly is the Christ; The Victor; Emmanuel. Why did he ask this? Because John the Baptist was not putting his faith in a human being. John the Baptist knew that, if this was the Christ, He was also the salvation of the world. John knew that the True Christ would bring rest. John understood that he could surrender fully, including his life, for the True Christ because this One could be trusted. Ultimately, John was asking for a confirmation to bolster his belief similar to the man who stated, "I believe; Help my unbelief!" in Mark 9:23. So John sent his messengers to ask Christ this question, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" (Matthew 11:3). It is as though John is asking, "Are you the full measure of the Gospel, or will you drop me if I defend you to the death?" It is interesting to note Jesus' response as He recounts the things that He has done; The prophecies fulfilled; The essence of the Gospel. In all of this He was saying, "I AM the I AM. You can trust me."
Over the last few months there has been a fear eating at my heart. It's a fear that has resulted from the painful circumstances of losing my babies and a lie that has crept into my heart which whispers that my Abba Father "dropped" me...twice. I've battled with faith as my flesh has told me to pull away from God and protect myself. I've struggled with a constant fight of trying to take control from God and giving it back. But as I've been reading I've realized that my struggle has been due in great part to the fact that I have not been looking to the Gospel and the cross for my security. I've been fighting a war I can never win because I've been looking down at the potential waves below rather than up at the face of my loving Daddy Father.
The Church has a special calling that echoes Matthew 11 with haunting similarity. The book of I Peter is written to a church family that is experiencing great persecution. Many were dying for their faith and the remaining lived in exile, weakened by the circumstances which had crashed into their lives. His letter is a confirmation and an exhortation that there was hope. Why? Because of the Gospel. "According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith - more precious than gold which perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (I Peter 1:3-7). This is the beauty of the Gospel which confirms, not only that the the waves of circumstances will not consume us, but that we can stop clinging to our own perceived control and let go. It is the beauty of the relationship with God that has been forged by the death and resurrection of Christ and which is guarded by the power of an Almighty Father. We may fearfully see the swirling waves of tragedy and pain below us. We may strongly feel the knifing pain of loss piercing through our hearts. We may hear the lying voice of Satan telling us that God cannot be trusted if He has allowed such pain to touch us. Yet, the truth is that our Daddy Father is a good God who has given us a Living Hope, treasures us as His children, and will always hold us securely.
John the Baptist died for his faith in a gruesome way. Some would look at this ending, focusing on the waves of experience, and conclude that God did indeed "drop him." He died didn't he?! Yes, but Christ rose victorious over the grave to provide a living hope of the resurrection. I am by no means promising that the choice to let go and rest in the hold of God will result in an absence of pain. The tragedy will still come; Death will still rip at our hearts; People will still fail us. But in all this the power of the Gospel brings security and confidence. We can trust Him. Will you surrender your control, stop your fight, trust Him and just be held?
I was an abnormally fussy baby with high preferences as to how I liked to be held. My loving daddy had figured out that I had a weird fetish with being carried around like a flying football. Stomach down, stretched out across his forearm, chin in his hand, feet near his belt. On a day just like any other I, as a little 3-4 month old baby, was fussing as I impatiently waited for him to prepare my bottle. Apparently my poor "new father" of a daddy was either not moving fast enough or I was being incredibly problematic. Either way I made the brilliant decision to hook my feet in his belt and flip out of his arms. I landed on my head, on a hard floor, and was knocked unconscious with a giant purple goose egg protruding out of my head. If you want the rest of the story you'll have to ask the great Paul Harvey himself but, suffice it to say, I lived (I feel free to share this story because it's become somewhat of a family joke and my poor dad will never live it down. Believe me, I'm not bitter! I just blame him for any abnormal or problematic personal characteristics I may possess!).
Now lets make a giant mental leap together...
Recently John the Baptist seems to be a common theme in my personal reading and the sermons I've been exposed to. It was as I was sitting through one of these sermons that the speaker said, "Sometimes I have a hard time letting go of control because I'm so afraid that God will drop me." I spent the rest of the day mulling on this statement and was struck by how common a concern it seems to be within the human race. At the same time, I was struck by the Gospel as it is the answer to our struggle and the assurance that allows us to let go, by faith, and be held securely in the loving hands of God.
In Matthew 11 we find John the Baptist imprisoned for his faith. He was the one to prepare the way for Jesus (Matthew 3), defend the platform of Jesus (John 3:22-36), and was now preparing to sacrifice his very life for the sake of Jesus (Matthew 14). As he knew that his life was drawing to a close he sent messengers to Jesus to confirm that Jesus truly is the Christ; The Victor; Emmanuel. Why did he ask this? Because John the Baptist was not putting his faith in a human being. John the Baptist knew that, if this was the Christ, He was also the salvation of the world. John knew that the True Christ would bring rest. John understood that he could surrender fully, including his life, for the True Christ because this One could be trusted. Ultimately, John was asking for a confirmation to bolster his belief similar to the man who stated, "I believe; Help my unbelief!" in Mark 9:23. So John sent his messengers to ask Christ this question, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" (Matthew 11:3). It is as though John is asking, "Are you the full measure of the Gospel, or will you drop me if I defend you to the death?" It is interesting to note Jesus' response as He recounts the things that He has done; The prophecies fulfilled; The essence of the Gospel. In all of this He was saying, "I AM the I AM. You can trust me."
Over the last few months there has been a fear eating at my heart. It's a fear that has resulted from the painful circumstances of losing my babies and a lie that has crept into my heart which whispers that my Abba Father "dropped" me...twice. I've battled with faith as my flesh has told me to pull away from God and protect myself. I've struggled with a constant fight of trying to take control from God and giving it back. But as I've been reading I've realized that my struggle has been due in great part to the fact that I have not been looking to the Gospel and the cross for my security. I've been fighting a war I can never win because I've been looking down at the potential waves below rather than up at the face of my loving Daddy Father.
The Church has a special calling that echoes Matthew 11 with haunting similarity. The book of I Peter is written to a church family that is experiencing great persecution. Many were dying for their faith and the remaining lived in exile, weakened by the circumstances which had crashed into their lives. His letter is a confirmation and an exhortation that there was hope. Why? Because of the Gospel. "According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith - more precious than gold which perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (I Peter 1:3-7). This is the beauty of the Gospel which confirms, not only that the the waves of circumstances will not consume us, but that we can stop clinging to our own perceived control and let go. It is the beauty of the relationship with God that has been forged by the death and resurrection of Christ and which is guarded by the power of an Almighty Father. We may fearfully see the swirling waves of tragedy and pain below us. We may strongly feel the knifing pain of loss piercing through our hearts. We may hear the lying voice of Satan telling us that God cannot be trusted if He has allowed such pain to touch us. Yet, the truth is that our Daddy Father is a good God who has given us a Living Hope, treasures us as His children, and will always hold us securely.
John the Baptist died for his faith in a gruesome way. Some would look at this ending, focusing on the waves of experience, and conclude that God did indeed "drop him." He died didn't he?! Yes, but Christ rose victorious over the grave to provide a living hope of the resurrection. I am by no means promising that the choice to let go and rest in the hold of God will result in an absence of pain. The tragedy will still come; Death will still rip at our hearts; People will still fail us. But in all this the power of the Gospel brings security and confidence. We can trust Him. Will you surrender your control, stop your fight, trust Him and just be held?
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