Surrender

We have all heard many messages talking about being surrendered. Typically, we think to ourselves of course we are surrendered. After all, that is what a Christian is, right? However, lately the word has been echoing in my heart and mind. What does it really mean?

Part of what has this on my mind is a book I have been reading by Michael Card titled, “Mark, the Gospel of Passion”. He quotes scripture word for word, then he comments on the verses and the depth he brings out is wonderful. If you are looking for a good book to read, I recommend it. In fact, he has a series on all four Gospels and I am working my way through them all.

In Mark Chapter 10 we find the story of a rich young man who asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). Right away Jesus asked, “Why do you call Me good. No one is good but God”; challenging the “works” philosophy of “what must I do”. Then Jesus listed the commandments and the young man said, “I have kept all these from my youth” (Mark 10:20).

Jesus knew this was a “righteous” man that followed the “rules”, but was he surrendered? Jesus’ reply was the defining point. “You lack one thing; Go sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Mark 10:21). The young man “went away grieving”. He believed he had kept all the commandments, but he had actually broken the first commandment. He had put his riches before God.

I love what Michael Card wrote. He states, “Two worlds meet in these two men. One sincerely seeks to inherit eternal life as a reward for his actions. The other has come to offer eternal life as a free and gracious gift”. I don’t think the “works” versus “grace” issue can be explained any better than that.

This points out the blind spots we can have as humans. We believe we are surrendered to God and fully following Him. But as witnessed in the young man in the story, our definition might be skewed. As with the young man, the tough question is asking what is between you and God. What do you need to control and not want to let go of? Is there anything that you would struggle releasing; struggle to say, “Not my will but Your Will Lord”? That thought makes me think of the song “It is Well with My Soul” by Horatio Spafford. We have all sung this in church, but when you realize he wrote it after all four of his daughters drowned it takes on a much deeper meaning.

This brings out a few thoughts. One is a loved one we are praying for to come to Him. Surely it is His will, right? What if it isn’t? In John, Scripture says no one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws him. What if He never calls our loved one or if they never respond to His call? Will it come between us and God? Do we want His will to conform to our will? Once I realized this a few years ago and surrendered control (that I never really had anyway), I actually found it easier to share my faith with the loved ones I am concerned about. It is God’s call, not mine. God challenged me with this thought and through tears I decided even if He doesn’t call someone I love, or they do not respond to His call, it will not stand between Him and me. You may not agree with this analogy, but if it is true where do you stand? Could it come between you and God? Think of the story of Job. In one fell swoop all twelve of his children were killed. His wife said to him, “Curse God and die,” but he said, “The Lord gave, and now He has taken away. May His name be praised (Job 1:21)”. How would we react?

The other thought is our selfish nature. By nature, we want control. We convince ourselves that God certainly wants us to be happy and will give us the things we feel we need. However, His goal for us is surrender, not momentary happiness. He can see the future; we can’t. I have had experiences that seemed horrific at the time; polio when I was five, a “simple” out-patient surgery that nearly killed me and took two more surgeries to correct, Linda’s terrible fall and broken shoulder that produced a year of pain and suffering, etc. However, looking back at all these experiences, I can see the “value” of having experienced them. We can see in hindsight, but He has forward vision. As a parent with a child, sometimes we know a “season of suffering” will bring a positive outcome.

I find concepts like this easier to relate to when I put them into human experience. When our son was young he was bitten by a dog on the leg. The puncture wounds were deep. I had to take him back to the ER multiple times for them to remove the old drainers and then push new ones into his puncture wound. It was painful. He would look at me like, “Why are you letting these people hurt me?” However, from my perspective, I knew he had to go through this trial to be healthy. Do you see the analogy with us and God? To us it is painful. To Him it is necessary for our growth.

In Galatians 5 Paul draws the distinction between living in our will and surrendering to the Holy Spirit. We simply cannot live as God desires without surrendering to the leading of the Spirit. Sometimes our way seems better from our vantage point in time, but God’s vantage point is eternity. He uses the lessons we have learned from trials to give us wisdom to share with others. To me it boils down to this; my life is about God’s plan, not about me.

Darlene Zschech, one of the most amazing worship leaders I have ever listened to, sang these words, “I need You my God…that I might live by Your Word…wholly devoted to You”. Wholly devoted, not mostly devoted. We cannot be wholly devoted without His help. I agree with her words, “I need You my God…that I might live by Your Word…wholly devoted to You”. That’s what surrender means to me.