A woman said this about surrendering to God: " it's wonderful and it feels so good to surrender to the Lord, but I also have to 'keep it real. Being thirty-years old and unmarried and wanting and needing things, I just have to be real." And I thought, hmmm. Yes, we do want and need so many things. Sure - that's true. But how many of us with those desires clenched in our hands and in our hearts are willing to surrender even those? Is it asking too much for us to open our hands - releasing - almost dropping - every deeply personal need and desire unto Him? Him who cares for us with a love that surpasses our very ability to comprehend or understand? When we look at Abraham what kind of faith do we see? A believer, just like you and I, who was asked to sacrifice his very own son. A man, who wholeheartedly believed God and without hesitation, was ready and willing to surrender the very son that God had promised him He would establish his convenant through (Gen 17:19-21). Even when we have hopes, and dreams, and things we want - we must surrender ALL and, "Trust in Him with ALL {your} our hearts and lean not unto {your} our own understanding.(Proverbs 3:5)" Just as Abraham did. Abraham did not question God's demand of him - even when it seemed beyond all comprehension. And the question I have to ask you, is did God abandon Abraham? Did He let him down? Did he not come - speedily - to save and give back all that was dear to Abraham?
I desire to be where Abraham was - in my heart. In a place where I can let go of all that might seem good, and right, and fair, and what belongs to me or what I might think I deserve. Everything that means anything to me.
Will you trust Him today?
The beauty, love, and faithfulness of God is that He truly, truly loves us. He loves me, He loves you and He knows our human hearts better than we ever could. I believe that once you enter into that special place - that place of complete surrender, God is waiting to take those small dreams and desires you've been clenching onto and magnify them only to bless you with more than you could ever have imagined and in doing so, we give Him the glory.
The only thing He ever wants us to "clench" onto is the salvation of His son Jesus Christ, and His Word. All else is secondary. ALL ELSE IS SECONDARY. He says that we are to, "Seek (ye) FIRST the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto us. Not seeking on Sunday, or only at the time we really feel we need Him, but always. Always praying, always expanding His Kingdom, seeking His face, doing things to bring Him honor and glory. When we do this, I believe we become submitted, we surrender and in doing so, allow the light and love of Jesus Christ to shine through our hearts, our actions, and our voices to be a constant and continuous witness for Him and the love He's given us - the only love that will save the souls of mankind. Thus, we cannot say, "I love God but..." or I surrender, but.." There are no buts with God. No middle ground, no shades of gray... He deals in absolutes; we must learn to when it comes to Him.
There's a verse in a song that I found that touched me and really captured the essence of surrender by Chris Sligh, called, "Empty Me."
Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be, filled with you.
Cause everything is a lesser thing,
compared to you, compared to you.
Cause everything is a lesser thing,
compared to you. So I surrender all...
Wow.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Search our hearts, oh Lord. Reveal strongholds and anything that we may unknowingly esteem higher than You. Help us to surrender ALL unto You, and to recognize that every desire, every need, that "everything is a lesser thing, compared to You." Thank You for your love that is as vast as the sky and limitless beyond measure. May the body of Christ find it's peace and strength in You; in Christ's name we pray, Amen.
