Letting Go to the Glory of God

[Maryanne Winder Lester]

Letting Go

My husband and I are getting ready to move my mother into a new home with us, and out of her family home. This is a bittersweet time for me. This is the house I called home. Out of the 30 plus years my parents lived here, there were only 4 of those years that I didn’t live here with them. I ventured out on my own twice in my 20s when I took jobs in other states. But I came back home when those assignments ended. Before I got married, I moved out with my husband and we lived in our own homes for about 2 years. But then when my father died, we moved back here to take care of my mother and put all of our furnishings in storage. So, now that the time in this home is over, I will take many memories with me. And, that’s what makes me sad. But, I also recognize now that it’s time to let go and move on. It’s a new season in my life, and for that I am excited and joyous. Many thanks to my brother and his wife for helping us and letting the Holy Spirit guide them.

I really fought to save this house. I saw all the signs God showed me, but I chose to ignore them. I rationalized that I was trying to save it for my mother, but I know that it was really for me. I held on so long that we were even in danger of being homeless. I was trying to save something that wasn’t even mine. I was sure that because God saved it from foreclosure last year that He would do it again this year. I had to be pushed, challenged, threatened, scolded and mentally beaten before I would admit that the house was gone. I knew that God would take care of us, but I wanted it to be my way, not His. I didn’t want a new house, I wanted to save this one. And I wanted it the way it used to be; full of laughter, with shiny new appliances, a beautiful yard and my mother in perfect health. It was a very slow process for me to finally realize it would never be that way again. And I can admit now that I was stubborn and such a hypocrite. I have quoted Proverbs, 3:5-6 so many times and to so many people. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. Remember Him in everything you do and He will lead you down the right path.” I wasn’t trusting, leaning or remembering Him at all!

Even when I half-heartedly admitted that we had to start looking for a new home, I found fault with every house we looked at. God bless my husband Mel for his patience with me! I hoped to find a house with the same floor plan as this house. And I had specific requirements for the new house. It was like I was sabotaging my search for the new house. Here were my requirements: It had to be a ranch style so my mother would not have to walk up any steps, not even one! It had to be on flat ground without a sloping driveway so that it would be easy for her walk outside and get into the car. It had to have a large master bedroom with a full bathroom so she would not have to leave her bedroom to get to the bathroom during the night. It needed to have hardwood or floors so that she could roll around with her walker with no fear of falling. It had to have a fenced-in back yard for our pets. It had to be BIG to hold everything I wanted to keep. It needed to have that special bonus room so I could keep my baby grand piano. It needed to have a large laundry area and both a dining room and an eat-in kitchen. It had to have plenty of kitchen cabinets to hold the many sets of dishes I had accumulated. And, it needed to have a fireplace, because I just really wanted one. And, how could I forget this one, it needed to have a place for me to put up my 5 Christmas trees and hold all my important nic-naks. And the last requirement was that my husband and I could qualify for this home, without having to rely on my mother’s credit. So, as you can see, I didn’t want too much, did I? But, through the grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father, He found this new house for us that meets EVERY single requirement, except one. It’s not a ranch style, but it has a master bedroom with a full bath on the first floor. And, this new house is more beautiful than any I could have imagined! God led us to this house because He knew the desires of my heart. It wasn't on the list of homes I planned to look at, no realtor recommended it to us, it wasn't listed on the internet, we just happened to drive past it the first day we started looking. I did call the owner inquiring about the price, but it was way over our budget. But, the Holy Spirit spoke to my husband and told him to call again a few days later. So, I did. And, the owner had reduced the price, putting it at the exact price we wanted. And to top it off, the owners are Christians. Although they had received another offer on the house, the Holy Spirit also touched them by giving them the vision that their home was to be our home. Now, we talk about God and His abundant blessings in every conversation we have. On Monday, when we sign all the final papers, I must remember to discuss Ezekiel and how God let him see the vision of the bones coming together.

It’s always difficult to move into new territory. The comfort that comes with the familiar is so easy. I have memorized every inch of this house so I can walk through it in the dark just as easily as when all the lights are on. I know how every glass is stacked in the kitchen cupboard. I know the order that the tablecloths are stacked in the linen closet. My grandmother’s turkey roaster sits at the bottom of the pantry where it stays all year to come out at Thanksgiving. My parents wedding picture is still on the antique walnut chest in the living room. My great- grandfather’s Union Army portrait still hangs in the hallway along with his other mementos. My mother’s Atlanta Braves baseball collection is still at the end of the hallway between the 2 back bedrooms. My pets are buried under a tree in the yard. I know exactly where everything in this house can be found, because that’s where it has always been. But, the house is old. And, it’s falling apart; not due to neglect, it’s just old and worn out. The only thing positive about this house is that it holds some great memories. It’s time to move forward into this new season.

Throughout the Bible, God speaks about letting go of the “old” so we can move into the “new.” It speaks of this as a necessity. But it never says it will be easy during the time of transition. In fact, it promises trials and tribulations. The Old Testament is filled with promises and prophesies of what is to come. The New Testament Gospels tell of the Glorious birth, crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ and foretell the coming again of our Savior. The Epistles remind us of how Salvation through Jesus Christ wipes away our sinful past and allows us to be born anew.

Let me share some verses from Isaiah. These verses have been in the heart of our Bishop and he has been teaching on them since the trials with our house began. These words hold a very special meaning to me. Isaiah 43:18-20, “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen.” God is speaking through Isaiah of the former prophesies concerning Israel being led from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. These prophesies were fulfilled. However, the passage from slavery to freedom was not easy. They wandered in the wilderness and thirsted in the desert. So, what God is really saying is this, “Forget my previous promises and what I did for you then. That’s old news. Now, because you are still My chosen people, I’m making new promises for a new Jerusalem and you can only see these promises fulfilled if you let go of the old ones. Stop living your lives based on the past. And this time, it will be a little easier for you, and you will show my glory.” He goes on to say in Isaiah 65:16, “So that he who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he who swears in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from My eyes.” God forgets the past and will never bring up any of our previous troubles or disobedience. Our new home is that “New thing” God promised to the children of Israel.

Although it is difficult to leave the old thing, I know I cannot have both the old and the new. The old house was God’s gift to my parents and I am happy to have had so many good years with them in this house, but now it is time for us to move forward into the new house, to the land that God has shown us. I can’t say that everything was always wonderful in this house. My parents had problems, I was a sinful, spoiled rotten and disobedient child and we went through the pain and sadness when my father left this earth to be with Jesus. But as humans, we have a tendency to forget the bad parts and only remember the good. I will smile with memories of the old house; Christmas mornings, conversations around the dinner table, the parties my parents used to have, my Dad in his favorite white patent leather shoes, my mother’s contagious laugh, the surprise birth of a litter of puppies, my husband getting down on his knee to propose marriage to me and many, many more. But I look forward to the new memories we will make in the new house.

God has promised me long life for honoring my mother and father. I will grow old in this new house with my husband and I will cherish this new blessing He has bestowed upon us. It is time to make new memories! God never does a new thing in an old way so I know this new house will never be lost or taken from us. One day, this new house will be passed on to the new generation. And I will make sure that the next generation will know His name and recognize His voice.

Pray with me:

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for having faith in me, even when my faith in You faltered. When I come to You, transparent, attempting to describe my needs, I know that You already know every need I have. You wrote the story of my life before I was even a twinkle in my Daddy's eye. Thank You for giving to me what You promised to my forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph and David. You allowed me to inherit a part of the sand that could not be numbered. Thank you for the many brothers and sisters in Christ who’s effectual and fervent prayers were lifted to you in my time of doubt. Thank You for guiding me through this transition into glory. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. God you said it, we believe it, that settles it.

Amen.

Now, take a moment to worship His holy name. To God be all glory, honor and praise! Halleluiah!

Maryanne Winder Lester

4/24/2010

[Dr. Henry, President of the AOCI]

Thank you for this article. I believe this article are for many or our members. You are so right, It is hard to "Let go" but with the power of the Holy Spirit, we can do it! God bless you sister!!