Ex 7-9 Letting Go Gives a Better Grip

January 20th, Exodus 7-9

       This story of Pharaoh reminds me of a David Crowder song "Foreverandever Etc..." The last line of the pre-chorus and the first two lines of the chorus say...
       Letting go gives a better grip.  I'm finding everything I'll ever need, By giving up, gaining everything.
       When your in a position of power, how do you hold onto that power. Whatever power we do have is like having power over sand. The more you try to grip sand the more it flows out of your hand, it's another one of the ironies of life. Pharaoh is wanting full control and the tighter he's holding on the more he's losing it. 
       In this case he's going to lose it anyway because it is what the Lord wills. Similar to times in our life when God is going to have His way. We can fight it and feel like we're losing everything, or we can let go and be gripped by God instead of doing all the gripping.
       When you and I are gripped by God we don't have to act so desperate. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, Blessed be the name of the Lord. -Job I'm finding everything I ever needed by giving up, holding everything with an open palm, thanking God for what's in my hand in this moment. When God chooses to replace what's in the palm of my hand with another situation, again I'll say thanks, not grip onto it, trying to make it mine. Doing my best to honor God with what's been given me (see life of Joseph) and not attempt to squeeze it to death in my fear, or failure to acknowledge God and His will (see life of Pharaoh). 
       Fear and control...good luck, falling into the hands of Him who is sovereign over all...a better grip.