Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. Psalm 105:4

Fetters

            Our family has been having one of those months. Nothing terrible is happening; it's just been the kind of month in which more than one area of life is unsettled and unsettling so there's no way to know what will happen next. Among other things, my husband, who has faithfully worked at the same place of employment for 43 years, is retiring at the end of the month. While we're both very excited about his decision, it's brand new territory for us. Though it's a path we've chosen together, it's one we haven't yet walked and so don't know what to expect. Will we be able to live on a reduced income? Afford healthcare? Keep the doctors we like? Which letter of the alphabet healthcare plan should we choose? Should we exchange our big, old farmhouse and wooded acres for something smaller and more easily maintained? And then, the really pressing question: With me working, will my husband's cooking repertoire expand beyond bacon, chili, chicken and hamburgers on the grill, and fried egg sandwiches, or will we be eating some combination of those dishes for years to come? Will I ever see a green salad on my plate again?

            Seriously though, our future seems more uncertain than ever before.

            Unlike my husband who chose his own path, Joseph, the favored eleventh son of Jacob, had his path chosen for him by angry, jealous brothers who sold him into slavery (Genesis 37). Centuries later, writing of Joseph's plight, the psalmist relates:

They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph's character (Psalm 105: 18-19).

            Not to minimize Joseph's troubles, but you could say that, in a way, 43 years of continuous employment might feel something like wearing an iron collar and fetters, even though one was paid for the work! It's also fair to say that my husband's character has been tested during those 43 years, especially so in the last few months, and he's proven himself to be a man of integrity in the face of great pressure and opposition. As a result, I'm hoping the other part of this statement about Joseph is also true for my husband: The time has come to fulfill his dreams.

            Many times, the things that hold us back from fulfilling our dreams aren't the limitations of time or money we imagine, but are the crippling fetters of fear--fear of failure (or of success!), of change, or of striking out into unknown territory. I should know. I've been the queen of every one of these at some time in my life.

            I also know that if I could really grasp the fullness of what Paul meant when writing to the Romans to calm their fears--The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you--the fetters would lose their power, fall away like green salad from a meat-lover's menu. Or in a better way than that.

            Fellow followers of The Way, what iron collars and fetters are holding you back, bruising your feet, and preventing you from moving forward? Whether you're facing new life challenges like my husband and I, or are just hoping to weather this year's tumultuous presidential election unscathed, here's my prayer for each of us: Lord, help us to truly know what it means to have your Spirit living in us. John 8:36 says, So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. Help us experience this freedom in a deeper, richer, fuller way than ever before.

 Daye Phillippo

November 2016