Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Luke 9:23 (NIV)
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
Commentary:
Surrender. “To give (oneself) up.” If you ask me, that definition makes it sound weak and powerless. Surrendering to Jesus Christ and His will is, rather, the opposite. To surrender to Christ is to fully know and understand that we cannot do this life without Him. Essentially, we are giving up control and knowing that we will be blessed beyond belief. Now, that’s scary. We are human. We crave control. We control our time, friendships, meals, etc… Those are just the basic aspects of our everyday lives. Now, just for a minute, think about what your life would look like if you surrendered to God’s will daily.
I was encouraged to do that this week: “Wake up each morning, surrender your day to God and live like He would.” I’ll be honest, it has been so difficult. Even though it hasn’t been easy, I found beauty in the act of surrendering. God has total control. It doesn’t matter what I do, God’s will will still be carried out. He knows exactly what He’s doing and has my best interest at heart. The same goes for you.
We aren’t the only ones who had to surrender to God’s will. Jesus Christ did so, too. In the book of Mark, Jesus pulled himself away from the disciples (shortly before the crucifixion) and took some time to pray to his Father. Jesus knew that he was going to be crucified, but his reaction was mind-blowing. “‘Abba Father’, he said, ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36 NIV)
Reread that verse with the context of crucifixion in mind. Jesus knew exactly what He was about to endure. He knew the outcome, yet He still surrendered to the will of the Father. Because Jesus surrendered, we are given the opportunity to spend eternity in heaven with Him. That’s the beauty of surrender. That’s our spiritual act of worship. Jesus set the bar high for what surrendering looks like. When we surrender, we worship God; we acknowledge His power and His might. We know that God is greater than anything we will ever deal with or come across. We give God the glory through our lives when He is in total control.
I’ll say it again: it’s a scary process, but it’s so worth it. Through the process, you will draw even closer to God. Your relationships will change. Your outlook on life will change when you allow God to have full control. As I was encouraged to surrender, I encourage you to surrender as well. Have someone keep you accountable throughout this journey. Know that you are a precious son or daughter in the eyes of your heavenly Father. As His child, He will work all things for your good and for His glory.
Devotional Author: Nicole Presley