Relationships – Desperate for God

Freedom from Fear

Fear’s facade now flickers, fades, and soon flies away.

Fear is a gift. Our capacity to fear is necessary for human survival and flourishing. It can protect and propel us to do what we never believed possible. Yet, not all fear is created equal. It can also devolve into something entirely other—a destructive force stealing our joy and hijacking our hopes. Unfortunately, most tragic of all is that often we are unable to discern the difference between fear as friend or foe. Why?

Love and Free Will

Light hand knows confidence. Tight hand knows fear.

Controlling love is an oxymoron. The moment we try to control by means of love is the moment we cease loving. It matters not if our control has good intentions or is kind and gentle. We cannot and must not call this love. Therefore, love respects the other’s free will—to choose however deemed best. To manipulate or remove this choice is to simply confuse love with self-interest.

Stewarding Love

Tantalizing temptation of tight hand upon you returns upon me.

Surrendering to God will cost you everything. But this is nothing compared to what he gives in return. Spiritual, physical, emotional, and social health are just some of the riches we discover from submitting our hearts to God. Recently, we’ve discussed how such surrender is the best asset for healthy social relationships and today we’ll consider the implications of this claim.

Facing the Fear of Trust

Light hand relaxes… it knows where to place its tight hand – on God.

Human relationships rise or fall upon the currency of trust. Yet for so many, trust does not come easily. It’s difficult because it requires exposure; and few things are more potentially devastating than an exposed heart. Some people never move past such loss and most only do so with great emotional and mental effort. But if we’re willing, God can help us learn to trust again.

Love and Significance

Promotion of life in light grip . . . and love’s flower blooms.

Human beings are intrinsically social. Our rich and complex relational skills uniquely distinguish us from any other creature on the planet. Regardless of introverted or extroverted personalities, humans are wired to be most complete when in relationship with others. Genesis 2:18 speaks of the importance of humanity’s social origins when God declared, “It is not good for man to be alone.”

Surrendered Love

The next several weeks of posts will be based on our most recent devotional poem, “Light Hand or Tight Hand?” Click here to see the full text.

Light hand holds as only a steward. Tight hand in idolatry grasps.

There is no pain deeper than lost love and no joy greater than its acquisition. When we unselfishly love, we become more complete for we partake in the very nature of God (I John 4:12). Wars have been fought, fortunes forsaken, and unspeakable suffering endured all for the cause of love. So, to find love is to find the greatest of all gifts. And when it’s found who would dare let it go? We should and we must if we hope it might be what we dream that it could; for this is exactly what God asks us to do. Continue reading “Surrendered Love”

Devotional Poem: Light Hand or Tight Hand?

This week we launch our tenth devotional poem. The next five weeks of blog posts will draw from themes in this poem, applying Christian faith to relationships.

Light Hand or Tight Hand?

Light hand holds as only a steward.

Tight hand in idolatry grasps.

Light hand loosely holds, relaxes.

Tight hand fearfully grips, trembles. Continue reading “Devotional Poem: Light Hand or Tight Hand?”