Like many a South African male, my husband dreamt about having a farm: to be near nature, to be busy with farm animals. What joy when he and a friend were able to buy a piece of farm land, wíth cattle! What glorious activity to herd the cattle into a crush for their necessary inoculations and their regular dip to ward off ticks. Of course, when a cow got into this narrow passage, there was no way she could turn around – there was only one way to go and that was forward, no matter how uncomfortable the experience.
I can imagine how hard it must be to be in a crush like this, or even worse, in a funnel – experiencing a sci-fi nightmare by being swept along in a stream that is being channeled into a giant funnel. And there is no hope of turning around or getting out of it! This is where one would call out to God, entreating Him to get you out of this predicament.
To let go and let God implies, however, that I let go of the edge of the funnel and trust in Him to provide relief after this funnel experience.
He has, after all, promised to be with me in times of prosperity ánd adversity – whether I have to go through fire or through deep water. Throughout the “lean” ánd the “fat” years He is with me. He will not leave me or let me go. (Hebrews 13:5-6)
Having been able to have confidence in our instructor while steering our 14 metre motor cruiser in a storm through the Thames Estuary, I should have confidence in my heavenly helmsman to take me safely through a financial storm or a marriage crisis. But so often I find myself panicking when it seems as if God has forgotten about me, so very like the disciples caught up in a storm while Jesus was asleep in the bow.
To let go and let God means trusting Him to take me safely through this crush, this funnel experience, to take me safely through the storm.