Letting Go

I’ve been exposed. The crutches of this world have been taken away. Some moments it’s utter bliss and the next unnerving. One thing’s for sure I’m no longer numb. Numb to the cadences of life, hovering somewhere in the middle of faith and self-reliance. Knowing that when faith isn’t cutting it, I’ve got a contingency plan. It’s sobering to consider that without faith it’s impossible to please God, when faith goes against everything. Everything that quietly calls me back into the control that comes with complacency.

It’s frightening to let go of what’s been when the destination ahead is unknown. I guess that’s the nature of faith, the art of letting go.

I read a story recently about a woman of ill repute who entered a party uninvited. Perhaps some of the men had interacted with her before. Their vitriol indicates her presence must have hit a nerve. I too am prone to anger when something hits just a little too close to home. Jesus, unfazed by the approaching lady, allows her to anoint His feet with perfume as she sobs uncontrollably in the presence of freedom. It wasn’t an exchange of one opportunity for another; it was the realization that the grace of God is all she really needs. It’s not going all-in for another opportunity or a way out but to experience genuine love. Love undeserving of anything; yet given everything. God’s grace igniting her faith.

When God’s grace ignites our faith it leads us to do the unreasonable. This woman wanted to be in the presence of Jesus so bad she walks vulnerably through a room full of powerful men, sacrifices her most valuable possession, and expresses uncontrollable emotion. What a display of worship!

But she had to let go.

She had to let go of the approval of others. She had to literally let go of the chain around her neck containing valuable perfume. A vital tool of her trade. She had to let go of it all but she discovered something in the presence of Jesus that took her eyes off of what she was letting go and drew her in to the value of the incarnate God sitting before her.  

The lady never says a word but her actions speak loud enough. Jesus responds to the lady amongst the guests saying, your faith has saved you; go in peace.  Saved you, a perfect tense verb indicating a completed act with standing effect. Whatever her future entailed, there would be no losing of her salvation.

I can’t wait to get to heaven and meet this remarkable lady. I’d love to hear the rest of the story and share some faith stories of my own. As she walked out the door, where did she go? She no longer had an occupation and way to make money. She was probably looking at saying goodbye to an old set of friends. Maybe she was reunited with her mother and father? We just don’t know what lay ahead for this brave woman of faith, but we do know one thing: she went in peace. Let that soak in before we rush along. Peace, internal harmony, no matter what life brought her way. Peace that only comes from letting go of what we cannot keep in exchange for what we cannot lose, the grace of God ignited by faith.