e word "surrender" has at most times a sense of submitting to an aggressor, a failure to protect one's safety, property or even cultural identity due to crime or war or financial manipulation. There is nothing attractive about the pictures the word evokes.
In case of domestic violence the image of surrender is particularly disturbing where someone's self is surrendered in order to survive physically. The longer they are suppressed the harder it is for the victim to believe any other life is possible or even deserved.
So when followers of Christ speak of surrender, it is exceptionally hard for some folks to even want to begin such a discussion.
But for those of us who have experienced, often in the most challenging of circumstances, God's trustworthiness, God's power, God's love then the idea of surrender is not anything like surrendering to an aggressor's demand's.
It rather reminds me of a frightened and endangered child who surrenders to the safety of his mother's or father's arms where they are confident that they will be treated with love and kindness and tenderness, and be restored to security and encouraged to step out again with a parent's coaching, oversight and care.
The notion of surrender is frightening, and fear of surrender has kept folks persevering in ways that have ensured the survival of the human race. So it is not surprising that surrendering ourselves is more of a process than an event. We trust God enough to offer allegiance and over the ensuing months and years of our life's journey we keep experiencing God's faithfulness, God's persistent honoring of His Covenant (contract) with all of His creation.
To the extent we surrender to God's plans for us, we experience peace, joy, delight, hope, and passion. It is common to feel offended that God has things He wants us to do and things He wants us to refrain from doing (which is a natural human reaction to someone trying to 'make us do something'). But we are interested and excited to find what someone who loves us utterly and has the power to lead us to our highest and greatest good, will show us, will teach us, will give us next!
Often I think I have "surrendered all" and then find something I am holding onto. For this reason I have quit thinking that I finally "have it together", but rather that I have "taken another step in the right direction." With each bit surrendered there is more room for love and relentlessly the Kingdom of God comes more fully.
Psalm 37:7 reads "Surrender yourself to the Lord, and wait patiently for him" in the God's Word translation and the Common English Bible translation it reads "Be still before the Lord, and wait for Him."
I have found surrender is a lifelong journey, but to begin by "being still before the Lord and waiting for Him" seems the perfect place to start.
In case of domestic violence the image of surrender is particularly disturbing where someone's self is surrendered in order to survive physically. The longer they are suppressed the harder it is for the victim to believe any other life is possible or even deserved.
So when followers of Christ speak of surrender, it is exceptionally hard for some folks to even want to begin such a discussion.
But for those of us who have experienced, often in the most challenging of circumstances, God's trustworthiness, God's power, God's love then the idea of surrender is not anything like surrendering to an aggressor's demand's.
It rather reminds me of a frightened and endangered child who surrenders to the safety of his mother's or father's arms where they are confident that they will be treated with love and kindness and tenderness, and be restored to security and encouraged to step out again with a parent's coaching, oversight and care.
The notion of surrender is frightening, and fear of surrender has kept folks persevering in ways that have ensured the survival of the human race. So it is not surprising that surrendering ourselves is more of a process than an event. We trust God enough to offer allegiance and over the ensuing months and years of our life's journey we keep experiencing God's faithfulness, God's persistent honoring of His Covenant (contract) with all of His creation.
To the extent we surrender to God's plans for us, we experience peace, joy, delight, hope, and passion. It is common to feel offended that God has things He wants us to do and things He wants us to refrain from doing (which is a natural human reaction to someone trying to 'make us do something'). But we are interested and excited to find what someone who loves us utterly and has the power to lead us to our highest and greatest good, will show us, will teach us, will give us next!
Often I think I have "surrendered all" and then find something I am holding onto. For this reason I have quit thinking that I finally "have it together", but rather that I have "taken another step in the right direction." With each bit surrendered there is more room for love and relentlessly the Kingdom of God comes more fully.
Psalm 37:7 reads "Surrender yourself to the Lord, and wait patiently for him" in the God's Word translation and the Common English Bible translation it reads "Be still before the Lord, and wait for Him."
I have found surrender is a lifelong journey, but to begin by "being still before the Lord and waiting for Him" seems the perfect place to start.
RSS Feed
