Transitions can be seen as a trapeze artist moves arm by arm from one swing to another. A successful transition requires that the trapeze artist LET GO of one swing while grabbing on to the other. If one doesn’t let go, the transition ends and stagnation begins.
When I get on the plane tomorrow to fly to Germany I will be physically letting go of the life here in the United States as I know it and will be invited to embrace a new adventure in Germany. The letting go does not mean forgetting or abandoning. Rather, letting go means that things will always be different. Relationships will change, maybe even become deeper and perspectives take on new awareness. The entire system changes and I know that, when I come back, life will be different.
Fear creeps in and for a nano-second it is hard to let go of the trapeze to move on. All of a sudden I begin to feel that I like my life and I don’t want it changed. Maybe it is better to stay where I am. These fears lead top paralysis and one becomes frozen in mid-air.
I wonder if Abram and Sarai felt that way? How would their life and ours be different if they had decided to not move as God had commanded? They had to let go of their past and embrace the future.
One of my favorite prayers found in a variety of Lutheran hymnals:
“Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
And so the transition begins and the journey goes on.
