I want to start off by asking a question: to what or to whom do you surrender yourself? It could be school, work, friends, popularity, or even self-image. What are you yielding to? Is there anything getting in the way of you completely giving yourself to God? My desire for you is that you begin to see the areas in your life that hold control over you, and from there, that you may begin to rid yourselves of those things.
If we take a look in the Bible there are so many examples of people surrendering. One example is the life of Moses; God intercepted him and had a plan for his life (Exodus 3). At first Moses was hesitant, and he gave excuses to God as to why he could not do what God was asking of him, why he could not surrender to God’s plan. However, God encouraged Moses and reminded him that He would be with him always. We have a persistent God who doesn’t give up on us because He knows what is in our best interest. Surrendering to God is in our best interest. Still not convinced?
Ephesians 5:1-2 states, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” We are to be imitators of Christ. Christ surrendered Himself. He came down from His heavenly throne, and surrendered His life for us on a cross so that we may know His great love. If we are to be imitators of Him, we are to surrender our lives for Him. Paul writes in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Paul understood what surrendering his life meant, he wanted to live every moment as if it were his last. He strived to make Christ’s name great among all people. He was persecuted, thrown in jail, stoned, and more, yet he never stopped because his sole purpose in life was to surrender to God. God’s desires became his desires. What broke God’s heart began to break his. This is the life we are to live, one that closely imitates Christ, even down to the very act of denying ourselves, picking up our crosses and following him.
1. The definition of surrender is to give up, abandon, relinquish, or to give oneself up, as into the power of another; submit or yield. What do these words mean to you?
2. What is holding you back from completely surrendering your life to Christ?
3. In what ways would your life change if you put your life in God’s hands and surrendered yourself completely to Him?
• “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” [Isaiah 6:8]
• “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.’” [Jeremiah 29:11]
