“there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give…” Deuteronomy 12:6
I made my way to the back end of my yard and kneeled next to our fire pit. I held a paper, one that had hopes, plans, and dreams of the future written on it. Ones that had changed and would not happen in the same way, in the same time, or with the same people initially expected. Deep inside I was holding on to those hopes and I knew it was time to let go because it was stopping me from stepping into a new hope and a new future. As I lit a match, I let those hopes ascend up as a burnt offering, one that showed my ultimate trust lies in God and my willingness to release this back to Him. As I wept, I heard Him whisper, “Let me write you a new future.”
You wouldn’t think burning a paper would be so hard, but words are important to me. When I write something with my heart, it is like my love poured out in marker or pen all over a page and to let it go, to allow it to burn to ash took tremendous courage and faith. Believing that a blank page and new plans could be written…
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
When I first started to surrender, I purchased a wall decoration that had this verse on it. I had it in a prominent place in the house and I read it and believed it every day. It was this verse that gave me hope that something new was coming when I was sitting in a time and place desiring change and healing. That verse carried me through a move, a career shift, COVID, school shifting home, another move, and many corresponding life experiences. When we moved to our current home and hung that verse on the wall, I smiled because I felt God had finally placed us in the future He had promised. Time to settle in and get comfortable….
But God….
It wasn’t but a year into that “new future,” that we headed into another valley season, paved with broken hearts, hardship, sacrifice, and unknowns. I found myself confused at times with “this is where hope and a new future went?” I remained faithful, but started to lose hope that it was possible to have a future with a “happily ever after.”
This season led me into the wilderness as a pile of ashes needing to be rebuilt. The only certainty I had left in my mind was The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I drew a triangle with these three on the wall and truth in the middle. I then asked, “What next?” I started to make a collage on my wall of the next piece God illuminated should stay. Piece by piece we were rebuilding but something had changed….our Hope.
See, we have been following the Lord for many years now, but laced in that following, I think there were other hopes that may come in the future He was promising. He wanted to help us build our house on a rock and I believe in love, He will let any future burn down that needs rebuilding to make sure the house we build is stable and will weather any storm that comes. So while it hurts to see the walls come tumbling down, each burnt offering sent up, is a chance to begin again with new knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and renewed hope. The best is yet to come, sometimes we just may not believe it because we fall in love too much with the image we have “now,” and not the beautiful image that hasn’t been painted yet…
“We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22
What is that hope you are holding on to that you need to send as an offering back up to God? A true offering that you are willing to turn to ash in trust that He will provide a new hope and a new future?
Take a step of courage this week to do it. Let God re-write your future and give you hope again.
In love, Julie
Father, Today I Surrender:
My Hope
Show me the next step I should take.