Platter of Cookies

I had one of those God filled AHA moments yesterday.  While out on a run with some beautiful, spiritual friends, one of the ladies shared something that opened my eyes a bit wider.  She said it in such a beautiful way that I wish I could have recorded it. But I love how God gives us little golden nuggets of wisdom and guidance from others but allows us to hear something special directly from Him.  So, let me share what I took from it.   

Open your hands like you are holding a large platter of food flat on the top of your palms. (Let's say cookies... because it should always be cookies.)   That is the position we are in when we open our hearts to God and ask to receive His presence in our lives. It is with these open hands that we say, "Lord, I am here to receive all that you have for me... I say YES to you, Jesus."  Opening our hearts to God and allowing ourselves to be ready for whatever He has to offer can be a frightening thing.  Especially when we are so used to "taking care of ourselves" or doing it our own way.  And we have an idea of what we think our lives should look like.  So, opening our hands to say, "Here is my life, Jesus... it's all Yours" may just feel a little too foreign to many of us.

The funny thing though is that sometimes when we lift our arms to Jesus and open up our palms to receive from Him, we realize that there is actually already something in our hands (remember that platter of cookies -- but this time its NOT cookies).  It's something that we've been carrying and haven't even realized it. Something that we may not want to let go of because it feels safe, or we've carried it for so long, or what would people think if I put this down!!  Maybe it's something your parents taught you to carry and maybe it's something you don't even want but you don't know how to let it go. The truth is -- sometimes we have to let go of things to be free enough to take what He wants to give us.  

The question I am going to ask myself every morning now is, "Lord, what am I holding on to... what is it that is holding me back from experiencing the freedom you desire for me, Your peace, Your love, Your wisdom, Your joy... "  Because I don't know about you, but I want everything He has for me.  I'm tired of doing it my own way, taking care of myself and, in reality, having NO idea what my life should look like.  Only He knows.  And I'm ready to set down whatever it is that is getting in the way of me opening my arms, my heart, completely to Him.  Even if it is a platter of cookies :)