In my book, Wounded Women of the Bible,
there is a chapter on Jochebed releasing Moses. The chapter hit home this week
as my husband and I dropped our last son off at college. Releasing our
first son was difficult enough. The last was just as painful and we were now entering the empty nest zone.
We stood outside the arena and looked at
each other - you know that awkward feeling of needing and wanting to say
something but too afraid because the faucet might start running? Or
perhaps the stillness in the moment became a long pause because no one wanted
to say the aching words, “Good bye.”
I stirred up excitement within and put a
smile on my face. Though my heart was churning with emotion, I reached up and
grabbed hold of my son. I wanted him to see my delight, joy, and thrill
of his new adventure. “You’re going to do great!” I boasted.
We hugged several times and then walked away. “Hold
it together,” I whispered.
The two day drive home was difficult. About half way
home my husband totally lost it – which caused me to lose it. (Good thing we
had a box of tissues nearby). Suddenly I found myself in Jochebed’s shoes and I
was reminded of what I wrote, “If we can learn to release to God what is already His, if for no
other reason than because it is the right thing to do, then one day, we’ll
receive a return on what we’ve lost . . . a return that only God can give.” My sons are as much,
or more, God’s sons than mine. Do I trust that God the Father can care for
them better than I? That is one of the secrets to letting go - coming to a gut wrenching "AHA MOMENT" that God is a better parent than I am! (Believe it or not, Webster's dictionary defines it as: "a moment of sudden realization, inspiration, insight, recognition, or comprehension.")
From this moment on I will pray and wait for my return – not only
of my sons, but the incredible ways God is going to work in their lives. Now that's a sweet release and the return will be even better.
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