Surrendering on God’s term
As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.” He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.” Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” Luke 9:57-62
From the text, there were several people that came to the Lord Jesus Christ to express their desire to follow Him. But they wanted to follow only if they could do it on their own terms and not God’s. They were not willing to surrender everything to God. It seemed that their surrender was set based on certain preferences. They prefer owning a home, to not disappoint a family member, or to avoid rejection over the price of surrender God was asking them to pay. When you came to Jesus to accept Him in your life as your Lord and Savior, you expressed total surrender to Him. You told Him that everything in you is God’s. You did not only surrender to Him your broken life but also your aspirations and your dreams for the future. You determined that you prefer now the new life God will give you over the life you had. But the realization of such commitment will only grow out of a clear understanding of what total surrender means. This growth takes place as He reveals to you areas of your life that He calls you to surrender each day of your life. When He calls you to surrender a certain aspect of your life, your struggle to give up on His terms could only be overcome when your faith is focused on Him. Your faith in Him will help you endure and not veer off from the path God set before you. “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). You are called upon to grow setting your mind on the things of God and His Kingdom. Your priority in life is no longer the things of this world. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else” (Matthew 6:33). If you have already expressed your willingness to give up every part of your life, then every time He shows you areas where you struggle to surrender, remind yourself that your life already belongs to Him. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
Blessings.
