Author: Bradley Alexander

Today a song has been in my head. Mostly I think because it’s been in my head every since it won an Oscar for “Best Original Song.” For those of you not aware what that is, it is “Let it Go” from the movie Frozen, which may be the best Disney animated movie that has been released in a good many years. Let me share with you the lyrics from the song, “Let it Go.”

 

The snow glows white on the mountain tonight
Not a footprint to be seen
A kingdom of isolation,
And it looks like I’m the Queen.

The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn’t keep it in, heaven knows I tried

Don’t let them in, don’t let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know
Well, now they know

Let it go, let it go
Can’t hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn away and slam the door

I don’t care
What they’re going to say
Let the storm rage on,
The cold never bothered me anyway

It’s funny how some distance
Makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me
Can’t get to me at all

It’s time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me
I’m free

Let it go, let it go
I am one with the wind and sky
Let it go, let it go
You’ll never see me cry

Here I stand
And here I’ll stay
Let the storm rage on

My power flurries through the air into the ground
My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast
I’m never going back,
The past is in the past

Let it go, let it go
And I’ll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone

Here I stand
In the light of day
Let the storm rage on,
The cold never bothered me anyway.

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, a season in the church where we focus on repenting and returning to God. During this time it is common for people to give something up that has been a habit in their life, but the original meaning was for you to give something up that was hindering your walk with Christ or to take something on to draw you more close to God as we approach Easter Sunday.

It is a time of letting go and being free. 

“I’m never going back, the past is in the past.” 

This line from the above song is a truth that we can all relate to, in fact this is the core of the song I believe. Let me explain. Elsa, a character in the movie Frozen is someone that is made uniquely that everyone else, but she has an added unique ability that many don’t. She has the ability to manipulate ice and in the movie she has made her kingdom completely ice and thus given everyone an eternal winter.

From an early childhood Elsa was told that she had to control her powers, which is true, it wouldn’t be to wreck havoc, but through the process Elsa focus intently on being perfect, which is not a message we need to send our children and even ourselves, but one that we do.

We are absolutely obsessed with this which is why Lent is so important. Look at what the prophet Joel says about this season.

Yet even now, says the Lord,
    return to me with all your hearts,
        with fasting, with weeping, and with sorrow;
13 tear your hearts
        and not your clothing.
    Return to the Lord your God,
        for he is merciful and compassionate,
        very patient, full of faithful love,
            and ready to forgive.

Ready to forgive. We are not perfect and we should tell ourselves that that is ok. We are uniquely made by God and accepted by God and so we must repent and believe in the Gospel because of this we are saved and renewed.

So let us this season remember to let it go and return to God and embrace all the love and grace that God is ready to give because He is merciful, compassionate, very patient and full of faithful love.

Amen.

“When the Son of God prays, He is mindful and consciously aware of only His Father. God always hears the prayers of His Son, and if the Son of God has been formed in me (see Galatians 4:19) the Father will always hear my prayers. But I must see to it that the Son of God is exhibited in my human flesh. “…your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit…”(1 Corinthians 6:19), that is, your body is the Bethlehem of God’s Son. 

(My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers) 

 

I was reading my devotional today which is My Utmost for His Highest that was given to me by a dear friend when Amy was in the hospital. Today’s entry struck me. Hard. Think on that selection that is above. Wow. I almost cannot even approach the true meaning of what Oswald is saying. 

That my body is the Bethlehem of God’s Son. 

Then I think about how I live my life and think about the decisions that I have made and I think how unworthy are we to have Jesus literally formed within us, so much so that when God looks at us he sees His son because that is who we are. Individually, Corporately, Globally. He sees Jesus in us. 

Because He literally formed His Son in us. 

That’s heavy. 

This weekend I am with many others at the Orientation to Ministry Summit and we are learning together the ordination process in the United Methodist Church. Today we are hearing call stories from several pastors and laity. As I was listening to these stories, a phrase popped into my head and I cannot get it out of my head.

“I can neither ignore or not respond.”

Then God reminded me of a passage from Jeremiah.

The Lord’s word came to me: “Before I created you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart; I made you a prophet to the nations.” “Ah,  Lord God,” I said, “I don’t know how to speak because I’m only a child.” The  Lord responded, “Don’t say, ‘I’m only a child.’ Where I send you, you must go; what I tell you, you must say. Don’t be afraid of them, because I’m with you to rescue you,” declares the Lord. Then the  Lord  stretched out his hand, touched my mouth, and said to me, “I’m putting my words in your mouth. This very day I appoint you over nations and empires, to dig up and pull down, to destroy and demolish, to build and plant.”

The word of the Lord has come to me and I can neither ignore it or not respond.

I must respond.

So in my response Lord I will trust, for you are the one who created me and knows me.

Thanks be to God.

Amen.