Complete Abandon To Yahweh

A while back, as I was awakening from sleep and hadn't fully "come to", I had such a profound spiritual experience, that I wanted to share it. I had been pondering what it really means to surrender ourselves "with complete abandon" to Yahweh even in the difficult times. Suddenly, an "image" came to mind so clearly and vividly that I knew it was Yahweh who put it there! I don't know about you, but I believe that Yahweh has a wonderful sense of humor!! This "image" was so funny, that I started laughing and the more I thought about this image, the funnier it got and the more I laughed!

I thought of the analogy of the "potter" and the "clay" and how we're supposed to let Yahweh be the potter and we are the clay so He can mold us and make us into what He intended us to be. Well, I imagined a lump of clay laying on a table and a sculptor standing over it, preparing to create something beautiful. Suddenly, the clay jumps up and starts shouting, "No! No! Don't touch me! I don't want you to work on me!"

The sculptor, surprised, starts trying to grab onto the clay, but the clay starts jumping around and dodging the sculptor so that the sculptor can't get a hold of the clay! The sculptor starts feeling really frustrated and says, "Would you please hold still? I want to create something beautiful out of you! Don't you realize that right now you're just a lump of clay?"

The clay (still resisting) responds, "But I'm too scared! How do I know what you'll turn me into? I don't really like what I am now, but at least it's familiar to me!"

The sculptor coaxes, "If you'll just hold still long enough, I'll show you what I can do for you! I've done this before - I'm an expert at it! I'm sure you'll be pleased with my work."

Timidly, the clay stops jumping around and says, "Okay. Go ahead. Anything is better than what I am now!"

The sculptor begins his work. The first thing he must do is pound the clay for a while to make it pliable so he can work with it. This is painful to the clay, but it is necessary. The clay immediately gets angry and says, "Wait a minute! You didn't tell me it would hurt this much! I'm not so sure about this. How do I know I can trust you? How do I know you're not just trying to hurt me?"

Calmly, the sculptor responds, "Be still and trust that I know what I'm doing."

The clay settles back down and the sculptor continues his work. This goes on for quite a while. The sculptor must work out all the "kinks" and takes his time to make sure the clay becomes a beautiful creation. (Oh, by the way, the sculptor already has in mind what he wants the clay to look like as a finished product!)

Finally, all the work has paid off. The sculptor stands back and looks with pride on his creation. The clay, now a beautiful piece of work, is so happy with the results, that it wonders why it ever doubted. Why did it resist for so long?

So many times in my life I've wanted to surrender to Yahweh, but just when He started to "work" in my life, I rebeled, got scared, resisted and ran. And even when I return and submit my life to Him, to do as He will....in the middle of the painful molding process - I feel sometimes alone and afraid and doubt He is with me....with a smile He reminds me that not only is He with me - but that I am secure in His hands

http://www.ourlittleplace.com/abandon.html