In our world of higher
education, instant information networks and self-reliance, the message of the
Gospel of Christ makes no sense at all. The paradoxes and spiritual content of
the Bible serve as a stumbling stone to those too proud to accept the
self-effacing offer of salvation through Jesus Christ. Once we humble our self
under the mighty hand of God, however, we recognize that Jesus completely
submitted to death on Calvary’s Cross to bring redemption to us all. Then, we
surrender to the call of God to sacrifice our life for Him in return.
The surrendered life is not one of defeat, but of relinquishing control. This means that we stop resisting the love of God and accept His courtship. We recognize the superiority of God’s plan for our life over our own goals and ambitions. We acknowledge His substitution in paying the penalty of our sins and yield to His Lordship over our life. We consult Him about all of our decisions and allow Him to direct our steps (Proverbs 3:5-6). We live in the reality of His presence now and in the hope of glory to come (Colossians 1:27).
God never invades our life,
but always waits to be invited. Yet, many people waste so much of their life
running from His beauty and bounty. They live in rebellion to the call of
nature to surrender to its Creator. The beauty of the surrendered life is that
we can die and hide our life with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). We cease from our own labors and enter into God’s
rest (Hebrews 10:4). If we draw near
to God, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). Whoever lives and believes in Christ shall never die (John
11:26). We breathe our last breath on
earth and our next breath is in Heaven. We will live on eternally.
The extent to which we
surrender our lives to God determines the degree to which He will use our life.
There is no place for hesitation, compromise or half-hearted devotion (Luke
9:62). We live an estranged life from
the world, but a committed and separated life to Christ who lives within us (Romans
14:7-8). Christ is the center of our
focus and our first and pre-eminent Love (Revelation 2:4). We pant after Him with a parched thirst (Psalm
42:1-2). We surrender our will to follow
the will of God for our life.
We surrender our selfish
desires to accept the promises of God to prosper us, not to harm us and to give
us hope for the future (Jeremiah 29:11). As we surrender to God and resist the devil, we walk in freedom from
Satan’s influence in our life (James 4:7).
We yield the ownership of our life to God and we live as good stewards of all
He created. We give up our rights in exchange for His privileges. We swap our
character traits, which hold us back
from success, for the victory we find in a life hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).
Prayer:
Father God, as we repent of our sins and seek You, we have your peace and favor surrounding us (Job 22:21). We forsake our life for Your sake. Once we completely understand Your love for us, we go beyond obedience and surrender our life entirely to You. Then, we learn what it means to truly live in abundant freedom and victory (Romans 6:16-18; Mark 8:35). We no longer experience the pain that life deals out to us, because we are hidden with Christ in You. We walk in spiritual serenity that elevates us emotionally, spiritually, mentally, physically and behaviorally.
Thought for the Day:
We enter a life hidden with Christ in God, which we formerly believed to be one of servitude, only to discover that it is actually a liberating union. - Colossians 3:3-4
