Let It Go
Good Morning Friends,
On this the anniversary of Leo Tolstoy’s birth I am reminded of his great works that channeled a winter’s bite and society’s cold heart in well written parables on life. I am reminded that I am Presbyterian and known to those who Google search us as one of the Frozen Chosen. But also on this morning I am moved by a Disney movie called Frozen. At last a movie for Presbyterians. This summer, as part of a family event at Moorings it was shown. It came out earlier in the year but I only saw it on a flight back from South Korea. The beauty beyond the music and cinematography is that it is enlightening…the challenge is that it is somewhat subversive. But that tension makes the story more compelling. It was about to be just another good queen…bad queen movie until a song gave it a twist that freed it to be something different. The song’s title is Let It Go.
Scripture: So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Romans 8:12-16 (NRSV)
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
John 15:13 (NIV)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NRSV)
For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NRSV)
Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:31-32 (NRSV)
Message: Friends, maybe we are not “The Frozen Chosen” anymore. Perhaps we are “The Warm Swarm” or “The Purposeful and Passionate.” But whatever people call us, let us call ourselves sisters and brothers — children of the living God — who can get on with our new redeemed life in Christ Jesus. Here we turn to God with willing and hopeful hearts. Here we look to God with joyful expectancy and ask, “What’s next?” You see it is about God’s grace…it is about handing over our worries, cares, fears, hurts… everything to God. It is about Letting Go and Letting God lead in every area of our lives but it is also about not being deceived. You see in putting it all together, our culture, our institutional faith, and our personal faith all is not as it seems. Appearances deceive. In the movie Prince Hans seemed like a responsible loving leader. Yet, he nearly succeeds in murdering Anna and Elsa and taking over their kingdom. Elsa also seemed like a rude and aloof sister to Anna. Yet, Elsa acted this way because she did not want to hurt her sister, not because she did not love her. It is true that appearances deceive us too. And get this, letting it go can be dangerous especially if we are not letting God lead. You see despite the beauty and catchiness of the song, “Let it go” is not a lesson for living. It is a recipe for chaos if we let it go too far on our own. Thankfully in the end, in the movie at least, love wins and it surprises us. A prince does not kiss the princess and save the day. Rather, a sister puts herself in harm’s way to save another life. A sister learns that power can only be used wisely when we love those we serve. Sometimes we need a plot twist to capture our attention. Friends, when love wins, we all live happily ever after. So today we hope to find our way back home conquering the rebellion of the human heart. Today we explore how to renew our thinking around three spiritual truths…that appearances deceive, that letting go is not a lesson for living and that love wins. So today we decide what is important. Today we see acts of love that cannot be repaid and spiritual truths played out in culture, church and character and we ask what next God?
Pray we let go of past hurts.
Pray we think more about how we might be changed than how we can change the world. Pray we become more enthusiastic about the use of our spiritual gifts but also be aware of the side effects of thawing out. Pray we have patience and the creative tension of time in our story. Pray in our desire for desire that we find greatness in simplicity, goodness and truth. Pray we love to understand and know that we understand only because we love. Pray we embody the meaning of life in service to one another. Pray in the name of God we stop and look around at the nature of who we have become. Pray we embrace a relationship between love and sacrifice. Pray we are inspired by the true heroes of faith. Pray we realize that the kingdom of God is within us. Pray we be of love.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 