The Hand-Off

“And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” – Psalm 9:10

“Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” – Psalm 31:19

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

“And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” – Acts 20:32

Scripture Reading: Acts 20:16-38

Watching my husband climb a 20-foot ladder leaned against a 60-foot tree that he’s decided to single-handedly cut down. Watching our high-school senior weigh his post-graduation options and negotiate his post-graduation boundaries. Watching our kindergartner boldly ride his bike up the street to the fire hydrant (his designated boundary) and back to the distant safety of our driveway.

There’s a common thread that runs through all of these images. That thread is my utter lack of control. It makes my heart rate speed up. It causes me to hyperventilate a little. And it forces me to realize that for all of my desperate attempts at control, I am desperately dependent on my sovereign God.

Maybe that’s why I can feel Paul’s pain in Acts 20. He is on his way to Jerusalem, hoping to make it in time for Pentecost, but knowing that his many enemies will be waiting for him. He is very intentional on this trip, knowing that persecution, imprisonment, and the possibility of martyrdom always loom over him. And though time won’t allow for a stop in Ephesus, he sends for the elders of the Ephesian church and meets with them in Miletus (Verses 16-17).

When the elders arrive, Paul recounts his history with the church at Ephesus, leading into the hand-off of this congregation that is near and dear to his heart. Paul has poured himself into this church, teaching from house to house, spending three years of his ministry building up this church as a humble servant-leader (Verses 18-21, 31), and leaving his adopted son and protege, Timothy, to continue the work there. He has taught them everything he knows about Jesus, the scriptures, salvation, and godly living, preaching the “whole counsel” of God (Verses 27-28, Ephesians 4:11-12, Colossians 3:16, II Timothy 2:2, 3:16, 4:2, Hebrews 13:7).

But for all that Paul has done to shore up this congregation, he knows that they can still be vulnerable to false teachers, their own pride, and all the perversions that still threaten our churches today (Verse 29-31, Matthew 7:15, II Timothy 4:3-4, I John 4:1). And so, he does one final hand-off – the hand-off that you and I need to make over and over in our own lives – and He commends this church to God (Verse 32, Deuteronomy 4:39, I Chronicles 29:11-12, Psalm 31:19, 37:5, Proverbs 15:3, Isaiah 43:13, 46:10, Hebrews 13:6). With prayers and tears, he leaves another one of his pet projects behind and trusts its unknown future to the God he knows.

I believe that God has entrusted territory (I Chronicles 4:10), talents (Romans 12:5-7), and trainees (Titus 2:3-4) to me in this life. But make no mistake, it is God Who gives the increase, God Who determines the seasons of my service, and God Who decides the outcome of every opportunity. And that’s where I often find myself wrestling with the hand-off. And when I do, an immediate heart check is in order (Psalm 139:23-24).

As I sat with a friend this morning, I made a disturbing confession over coffee. I recently read one of my Heart Medicine devotionals from days gone by, only to realize that I wasn’t taking any of my own advice. The Lord had given me truths from His Word about changing priorities, changing seasons, and control issues, and I wasn’t following any of them. I always admit that every devotional starts with God speaking to me about the things I need to change. What I don’t always admit is that I can be the most stubborn and unyielding among us.

So today, I’m ending the stand-off and re-instituting the hand-off. I’m putting my pride, my preconceived notions, and my pet projects aside, and I’m trusting the future to God. I’m not just depending on sovereignty – I’m delighting in it and looking forward to seeing God do more than I ever could on my own (Ephesians 3:20). And I’m handing off all that I hold dear – to the God that holds me.

YOUR PRESCRIPTION

Are you handing off everything to God? Are you trusting His power and His sovereignty in every area of your life? Ask God to show you the things that you still need to entrust to Him. He is faithful, and He is worthy of your trust in all things.