What Part of the Word “Surrender” Don’t You Get?
What part of the word “Surrender” don’t you get? If you are like me, probably about 95%! You might want to stop reading right now because this could mess with your life.
I’ve been asking God to show the parts of my life that I haven’t surrendered to Him. I think I believed that when I became a Christian and got baptized – I had “surrendered.” Remember growing up and attending Evangelistic Meetings, when the “I Surrender All” song was sung? But God has been showing me parts of my life that don’t fall under that “surrendered” category. He is showing me that partial surrender is deadly, because I live under the illusion that I am living a surrendered life and all the while, I am the one controlling every other area of my life!
I continue to hold on very tightly to the things I can control. He has showed me that His plans for me have been stunted because He doesn’t have access to all of me. I’m asking Him to help me trade control for trust. I want to surrender to Him completely because I am learning that I can’t have God on my terms. He is asking for more.
There is a whole list of things I need to surrender – still. Although far from complete, it is what comes to mind as I write these few minutes. A few of the big ones for me have been: Am I willing to tell God that He can do whatever He needs to in the lives of my children to ensure their salvation? (I don’t like to see painful things happen to my kids. I want their lives to be fun and easy.) It has been a struggle in my life to surrender to His hand in following His leading. Am I willing to surrender my finances completely to Him or do I keep some money for my plans? Am I willing to surrender my traditions to Him – what I have always done – what I love to do – what feels comfortable? Do I allow God to move in our church? Or do I need to keep things as they have been? Or change them so they are comfortable for me or fit what I enjoy? Do I surrender my pain to God – physical, spiritual or emotional? What about my anger and hurt? What about my fears and phobias – my pet peeves? What about my reputation? My image? My dreams? My longings? My need to understand – my need for answers about why He is allowing some situation in my life?
Then there are the hurts I have experienced through the years. It is much easier to be angry, hold a grudge or become bitter. I pull away from sources of pain rather than forgive and embrace. Oh, the list could go on. Am I willing to surrender my daily schedule to Him? To allow Him to change my plans? That text in the Bible has been messing with my life lately: “We can make our plans, but God directs our steps.” This is so true – and I have found that surrendering to that direction is much better than fighting it and insisting on my plans – my goals, my desires, my agenda. Surrender is a better position than anger or frustration when things don’t go according to my plans.
Have you ever thought about how different the Bible stories would have been if God’s children had lived surrendered lives? Starting with Eve – she would never have eaten the fruit. Then Cain would have offered a lamb, not food, on his altar. Abraham would have surrendered to God’s promise and not tried in human ways to have a son – Ishmael would never have been born. Jacob would have trusted God and not stolen the birthright that had been promised to him. Israel would not have wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. David would not have slept with Bathsheba. Jonah would have missed that whale ride.
I wonder what would have happened if Israel had surrendered and the beautiful sacrificial system that was given to them as they were rescued from Egypt had not been corrupted? Would Jesus have entered the temple and the High Priest have lifted his knife as Abraham did so long ago – to offer Jesus for our sins? Judas would have never betrayed God’s son. Oh, history would have been so different.
Take a look at those who lived surrendered lives. There’s Joseph in Egypt – refusing to sin with Mrs. Potifer. We have Pharaoh allowing Joseph to store grain. There is Mary surrendering her life to God as she allows the Seed of Almighty God to grow within her. There is Joseph setting aside his reputation and marrying her in spite of apparent scandal. There is Jesus saying, ‘I do nothing except what My Father in heaven tells me to do.’ There is Gethsemane and the cross – the ultimate surrender for us. There are the disciples at Pentecost surrendering to the power of the Holy Spirit. I see Saul, the ultimate control freak, after a life of surrender saying, “I pour my life out as a drink offering.” Wow!
My prayer today is, ‘Oh, God help me to want to ask you to help me to surrender.’ I have to even surrender the act of requesting……you are right – God is still working with me! How about you? Are you allowing Him to show you what you need to surrender? He does it gently – one or two things at a time, in His time.
Justice and Mercy Kiss
Hundreds of years ago
Thousands of miles from here
That event which is the pinnacle of earth’s history
That event which is the cradle of our redemption.
The cross stands on eternity’s timeline
A beacon for all who will look
A lighthouse for the lost
A harbor for ships, storm-tossed.
That rough hewn Roman cross stands on Golgotha’s hill
An instrument of torture – the cruelest death.
On it the Lamb suspended between earth and heaven.
His head crowned with plated thorns.
Spikes pinning His hands and feet to wood, tearing His flesh.
Yet that rough wood that held our Savior, insignificant
Compared to the cup he drank.
Sin no longer mixed with grace.
As the poison entered that perfect body
He became sin itself for our freedom.
There, no tender hand – no gentle touch to ease His suffering.
No caress to comfort – He was alone.
The Lamb of God crucified — death most violent.
Poisoned by sin.
Sin separating Him from the source of life – Love.
He died my death.
As He gasps His last — It is finished.
Nature can no longer stand it.
Earth rages against the death of her Creator.
The sun gives out – it quits shinning.
It is darker than a thousand midnights.
The piercing dark, shattered only by mighty bolts of lightning,
Deafening thunder and violent shaking of the earth.
Great cracks open up in the earth as the Lamb’s blood
From His spear-pierced side spills on the mercy seat.
Justice and Mercy kiss and Grace is born.
Type meets antitype – and thousands of bloody altars vanish into oblivion.
The Lamb hangs silently – no longer breathing.
His great heart has seemingly beat its last.
Our sin is covered.
Our debts cancelled.
Our freedom bought.
Salvation forever secure.
1996
Texting God – by Guest Blogger Stephanie Halvorsen
I am a 20-year-old Union College student. Life as a college student in 2009 is one in which communication is the centerpiece of just about everything we do. My friends and I have mastered the concept of being “in touch”. We as a generation are constantly being criticized for how we communicate. We are accused of no longer knowing how to have, or appreciate, face-to-face conversations. However, I would say that we communicate with each other more than any other generation in the history of this world! We use Facebook, Myspace, IM, video chat, email, texting – the list goes on and on.
We have a million and a half ways of communicating with each other; it has changed the way we begin, as well as maintain friendships and relationships. We can know instantly why someone isn’t in class, if someone is running late to work, who just broke up, whose car just broke down….well, you get the picture.
My generation knows how to pass along information…instantly. We no longer have to meet face to face to work on a group presentation or catch up with an old friend. While face to face time is still incredibly important, when life doesn’t allow time for that, we are still very much “in touch” with each other.
What if we as the body of Christ could be “in touch” with our Savior in the same way? What if we as Christians lived communicating with God? What if we sent Jesus one-liners all day, everyday? What if we prayed without ceasing the way my generation passes along information and stays in touch?
John 15:5-8 states “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers…if you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”
We have a beautiful Savior who wants us to be “in touch”. He wants us to pray without ceasing, to tell Him about the little things that happen as well as the big things. He wants us to ask Him for help when we need it, to praise Him for the beautiful life He has given us, and He wants to cry with us when we hurt. We have a Savior who wants to bless our lives with an intimate experience with Him. An experience that is stable and constant in a world that is constantly unstable.
So throughout your days, don’t forget to text God. He can’t wait to hear from you.
