surrender

I am blown away by the incredible picture of surrender in Matthew 4:18-20 –

“As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.  They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.”

At once they left their nets and followed Him.  What a breath-taking picture of surrender!  These disciples were fishermen.  When they threw down their nets to follow Jesus, they literally left behind their jobs – their livelihoods – to follow Christ. 

It makes me wonder:  Do we take this calling seriously?  And are we willing to throw down our own “nets” to follow Jesus?

Our culture has taught us to view surrender as a sign of weakness, an act of giving up.  When we hear the word “surrender”, we imagine a battle field in which one army retreats and waves its white flag.  But surrender to Christ is very different.  Surrender to Jesus brings freedom and life.  Surrender to Jesus is beautiful.

So what is surrender?  A dictionary definition for surrender is: to cease resistance, to submit fully, to yield completely.  What does surrender look like?  It looks like letting go.

I love this quote, which perfectly captures the idea of letting go and holding open hands to God:

“I have learned to hold all things loosely, because it hurts when God has to pry open my fingers.” –Corrie ten Boom

We all have our own “nets” that we don’t want to let go of, that we clutch tightly in our hands.  We all hold onto different things – dreams and ambitions, possessions, relationships, fears and worries, the need to feel accepted and appreciated…so many other things.

For some of us, it’s our dreams, hopes, and ambitions.  We make plans for our lives and expect God to bless those plans, rather than seeking His heart and letting Him guide us.  We strive towards whatever plan we have: to go to a certain college, or work at a specific job or internship, or lead a certain ministry, etc.  I’m learning to leave my future safe in His hands, to be fully surrendered, and to let the LORD lead me.  His plans are always better than mine.

For some of us, we hold onto our earthly possessions – our things.  Whether it’s your house, clothing/fashion, technology, or your hard-earned money, are you holding onto the things in your life?  We must learn that the best things in life aren’t things.  It’s so easy to get caught up in the “American Dream” and the worldliness around us.  But where are your treasures stored?  In heaven or on earth?  I love Matthew 6:19-21 –

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

This weekend, I had a huge garage sale and got rid of over half of what I own, and I’m giving away a truckload to the homeless mission tomorrow.  Although it’s been hard giving away a lot of things that I’ve held onto all these years, it also feels so freeing and refreshing, especially when I see my things bring joy into other people’s lives.  And yet, even still, comparatively, I have more “stuff” than most people around the globe.  I’m so convicted by Luke 18:22.  Talking to a wealthy man, Jesus said: “Sell everything you have a give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.”  I may not be wealthy, but I’m still convicted about the “things” I hold onto.  What am I holding back?  Do I take these words of Jesus seriously?  Jim Elliot once said that “he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he can never lose.”  What things do you need to surrender?

For many of us, we need to surrender and lay down our fears and worries.  Maybe, like me, you tend to fear the future rather than smile at it like we are encouraged to do in Proverbs 31.  God wants you to surrender those worries and lay them at His feet.  Your future is in His hands.

Comfort zones, frankly, tend to be very small, and it’s easy to make excuses for why we “aren’t qualified” or why we “don’t have the time” to do God’s work.  But though His work for us may seem big, and while the trials we face may seem ominous, the battles we face are not ours but the LORD’s.  We have to learn to abandon our comfort zones in radical obedience, lay down our fears, and follow Jesus.  “Always do what you are afraid to do.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson.  You don’t have to be fearless to follow Jesus; you just can’t let your fears control you.   Let go of your worries.  Fall on Jesus.

Whatever “nets” you may be clinging to, ask yourself: Am I fully surrendered?

If the answer to that is no…then ask: What am I holding back?

In Matthew 16:24-25, Jesus says: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

We’re called to give Him our lives.  Every part of us.  We may not always be called to martyr our lives…but we must martyr our way of life.  I want to die to myself, for “to live is Christ, to die is gain.” (Phil. 1:21)  I want to listen to the Spirit’s leading and respond obedience and surrender.

Why?  Why should we surrender to God?  God is Love…and Love matters most.  Love isn’t just passion.  Love is sacrifice.  Love is surrender.  Love lays down itself for Another.  He laid down His life for us in the ultimate act of sacrifice.  He calls us now to lay down ours.

God doesn’t just want 95% of you.  He wants all of you.  All of me. 

In ancient Israel, the people were sinning and turning away from God, and the LORD told the prophet Ezekiel to go and speak His truth to the wandering people.  What was Ezekiel’s response? 

“So I did as I was commanded.” (Ez. 12:7)

Wow.  No questions.  No hesitation.  He just acted on a heartbeat of obedience, even when God asked Him to do some pretty radical things.  That is such an inspiring example of surrender.

So the question remains:  What do you need to surrender?  What are you holding onto that you’re putting before God in your life?  I love the old hymn “Be Thou My Vision”, particularly these lyrics: “Thou and Thou only, first in my heart…High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.”  Is He first in your heart?  Is He your only treasure?

Surrendering is actually a beautiful act of putting Him first and seeking God.  “Seeking” God, in the original Hebrew language, means “to beat a path to God”.  So surrendering to the LORD often means leaving the familiar path to follow Jesus.

I have a sign in my bedroom that says: “remember to surrender”, and it encourages me every time I see it to surrender freshly each day.  What do you need to surrender, right now, today?  

It's time for us to cease resistance, to submit fully, to yield completely - to surrender.  So wave your white flag, hold open hands to God, and let go of your nets.  You’ll be surprised by the amazing things He has in store for you when you just surrender.