My grip is strong. Too strong. 

I hold on tight to what I think I deserve.

I grasp at what I’d like to come my way.

I cling to my pride, selfish ambitions and resentments.

I hold on to a life without suffering.

I want to claim my rights and grab God’s blessings.

I tighten the grip on my expectations.

But Jesus was strongest when his grip was not.

Instead of grasping, he let go.

He let go of being God himself.

He let go of sitting on the throne.

He relinquished his rights.

He let go of his credentials as creator, and served the created.

He did not demand what he deserved.

Instead of grasping, he loosened his grip and let go.

The carpenter had a weak grip.

When he was hungry, he let go of his power to turn a stone into bread.

In the garden, he let go of his own will to be spared the cross.

He let go of his authority to call on his angels for rescue.

When he was offended he let go of retaliation.

And he let go of his crown of glory for a crown of thorns.

So in my quest to be like him,

I repeatedly return to the discipline of letting go,

even though it’s my instinct to tighten my grip.

Let go of what I think I deserve.

Let go of my bargains with God.

Let go of past offenses.

Let go of my comfortable expectations.

Let go of my will and ambitions.

When my grip gets stronger, when my heart starts to cling, Jesus gently whispers,

“Loosen your grip. Let go.”

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross.”Philippians 2:5-8