What does surrender mean?
What does complete surrender look like?
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| Pete has completely surrendered to the part of a chicken |
We say I surrender all…I surrender to your will, O God…but what does that really look like and do we try to put boundaries on it. Boundaries…is that surrendering or compromise?
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| Lauren being baptized by James Barr and Daddy |
Some questions about surrender have been running through my head in the last couple of days. We hear so much about "living our own truth", "doing what is right for us", "making ourselves happy", "being successful"...living for ourselves, regardless of what the Scripture says, our family says, how we hurt others...as long as I AM Happy, that is all that matters. But that is not what God says.
Our Creator who formed us in our mothers womb. The One who knew us from the foundation of the world. He designed us for more than living a self absorbed life. He said, "The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."-Matthew 23: 11, 12 NLT
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| Bo during his Ordination |
A servant is surrendered. Jesus was the greatest example of that. He surrendered to the will of the Father to go to the cross, to suffer and die for us. This was not a feel good, look at me stunt. This was the giving of everything he had to save someone else. Jesus himself did not need saving, we did!! He surrendered 100% for someone else. That is what complete surrender looks like.
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| Daddy...For the Life of the World |
Surrender…what if it cost everything?
Surrender…what if it doesn't bring you fame and acclaim?
Surrender…what if it means poverty?
Surrender…what if it means denying of your wants and desires?
Surrender…what if it means denying yourself of basic necessities?
Surrender….what if it means living a missionary life in America? People will see…
Surrender…what if it means Pastoring a small church or teaching two kids in Sunday School instead of 20, 200 or even 10?
Surrender…what if it requires your comfort, sleep, recreation, LIFE?
This is a hard thought. It is a hard thing to wrap my mind around, complete surrender. I have a hard time allowing others to have control over me...(true story). I don't like confinements, being out of control, unreasonable demands, to be bossed, to do what someone else wants over what I want. I don't like to be overlooked, underestimated, unwanted, ignored. So to surrender is absolutely out of my comfort zone.
BUT, my heart wants what God wants. In order to see His Kingdom flourish, to see my life be what He created me to be, I have to live a surrendered life to Him. I fail all the time but I purpose in my heart to get the job done. I have to adjust myself, my attitude, my perspective almost daily but it's worth it.
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| Ryan Armstrong, surrendering |
These questions are a little scary because it makes me wonder what God is preparing me for. Am I willing to live this life completely surrendered? I hope I am.
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| Heros to me...My Mom, Apostle Green and Pastor Green |
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