Control Freaks Out!

We are control freaks. We think that we have to do everything ourselves. We worry about things that never come to pass and fret over things that matter not. We have lost our sense of safety because we have focused on the fact that we could not trust another to do something as good as we would do it. What is it that we need to learn these days? What is it that God has for us that we have not experienced because we stubbornly insisted that we do it?

The Prophet Isaiah records how King Ahaz was out worrying about the water supply when he needed to be back at command central trusting God and others to do their things. He did not need to be inspecting the sewer system. That would be like Mayor Dean, Governor Bredesen or President Bush coming and inspecting our sewers when they needed to be back at their points of charge to make sure that people were safe and secure – doing the task that they were tasked with – leading everyone that is doing the other things. This king was such a control freak that he actually had a human sacrifice because he was so desperate that he could not see what good was happening. He was THE control freak of control freaks. He wanted to not only know what needed to happen he wanted to DO IT.

Oh, it is easy to say that King Ahaz was wrong, but that is because we were not there and we have the luxury of 20/20 hind sight in how God had the story recorded. What is not so easy is us admitting that we are wrong to be so controlling and manipulative of what is happening in our lives when we want to determine the outcome before we start.

In what Isaiah wrote we see a child brought forth that will know right from wrong and will trust in God far more than Ahaz has. In fact, this child is a prophetic reminder of Messiah. This child will challenge the way that Ahaz thinks, but most importantly is a reminder that God is in control and will deliver the people if they will just let go of their control. You cannot ask God to do something then go about manipulating the situation for yourself. You must let go so that God can do the work – just as you must if you want others to do the work you task them with in life.

We cannot experience deliverance if we will not allow it to occur. Most people who say God abandoned them actually shut him out. They do not realize that they made those decisions, but they did – and God is a person that will honor your free will to chose or not chose the path of redemption.

This week, are you ready to let go of your control so that God can start redemption in your life? If not, do not complain that you have not seen or heard from God. Do not complain that God does not love you – God does, but God is not going to be forceful – just available. Today choose the way of redemption and lose control.

Blessings,
Pastor Greg

Parched Faith

Do you remember the last time you had a REAL thirst for water – or anything for that matter? Do you remember how it felt to be parched and dried out? Needing relief and the rejuvenation that comes from a drink? Do you recall how a drink of water has restored your vision and refreshed you? Do you recall how your spirit was refreshed when you let faith bloom just a little in your life after you had acted as though it were unimportant?

Many that are reading this article will think that faith is not important because someone let them down. Maybe you were ran out of the church for who they were or what you had done in their past. Maybe you were disappointed in someone that was in the church with them and you let someone else determine if you would participate because you were too busy looking at someone else’s failures to work on your own. There are many reasons that we get to a place where we are in a dry and parched state in our lives. Spiritually it is because we fail to understand the redemptive cathartic value of being in a community that is striving to be implements of grace and mercy – however imperfectly. Emotionally we get there because we do not want to get hurt again and so we withdraw and find that loneliness and despair are actually the companions that we end out living our lives with. Physically we get there by not trusting anyone and insisting that we do it on our own, in our time and our way. Ultimately most of the parched times we experience is because we have not been open to others and the way of redemption that we have laid out for us. We insist that it be our agenda, our way and that everyone else must accept this way or be out of our lives.

The interesting part of people that have exiled themselves to a cynical world view have often used excuses to justify their withdrawal. Their withdrawal never has anything to do with their actions or thoughts, but what others have done TO them – or so they say. They never accept that perhaps God was asking them to open up and accept a new life – they are just upset that someone asked them to tithe, or not talk to them a certain way.

To be sure there are those that are honestly hurt by someone and need a spring to come up in the heat of the desert. Those people though grapple with their hurt and connect to a redemptive God through a community that tries to live in redemption every day. They are different than the cynical because they see and reach for the possibility that God is on their side and they will not be cast aside forever bitter about “the wrongs.” They instead look to the Prophet that reminds us that God brings new life to a parched place. God does indeed bring back joy, laughter and faith if we allow it to occur. This week will you allow it? Do you always want to be bitter and alone?

Blessings,
Pastor Greg