Radical Surrender!

August 20, 2020

Radical Surrender!

I was probably 10 or 12 years old when another boy tackled me in the front yard across from where my family lived.  Tackling one another is not all that unusual for young boys. 

However, he did not start out to tackle me.  He started by getting in my face; he was demanding that I be his friend!  I did not give him the answer he wanted so he threw a punch.  As more punches flew he was yelling at me to be his friend.

Then, he tackled me in the lawn.  He sat on my chest with his knees pinning my arms to the ground.  As I struggled to get free, he continued to demand my surrender and my friendship.  I don’t remember how the whole thing ended, but I do remember that I really did not trust him much after that experience.  And, we did not become close friends.

I learned something that day; it’s difficult to surrender!  Even when someone has you pinned on the ground or backed up against a wall or intimidated with violence it is difficult to surrender! 

There is something that feels unnatural about surrender; it just seems wrong and even unhealthy to surrender.  And yet, there are times when surrender is the only way to move forward.

Job loved and trusted the Lord with all of his heart and all of his life.  But even for the most devout person there are troubles and trials and traumas that come.  Job lost everything; his home, his ranch, his livestock, his ranch hands, his children, and even his health. 

When it seems as if Job has lost everything, a friend coaches him to give up one more thing.  In Job 11:13 we hear; “Surrender your heart to God, turn to him in prayer…”  Job is invited to completely surrender his heart to the Lord God.  Surrender becomes the only way for Job to move forward.  His friend is right; surrender happens when we pray to Jesus. 

A few days later, another friend advises Job to surrender.  In Job 22:21-22 we hear; “Surrender to God All-Powerful!  You will find peace and prosperity.  Listen to his teachings and take them to heart.”  Job is counseled by a friend to completely surrender to the Lord God so he can find peace and so things will go well again.  Job’s friend tells him that surrender happens when we listen to the teachings of Jesus.

But, Job does exactly what you and I do; he resists, he argues, and he makes excuses!  Job does not want to surrender…even if it is a surrender to God.  Surrender simply does not seem like a right and good thing to do.  Rather than pray and spend time in the Bible, Job continues to fight!

We want to go our own way.  We believe our way is the only way.  We are not convinced Jesus can or will make any difference.  In Romans 10:3 we hear; “For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted (surrendered) to God’s righteousness.”  We do not surrender to Jesus because we want to be in control.  We do not surrender to Jesus because we do not know that surrender will set us free. 

Some people argue that we only need to surrender to Jesus once.  And yet, my experience is that our surrender to Jesus is at least a daily choice. 

I remember a friend who was a recovering alcoholic say; “Doug, sobriety is not a ‘one day at a time’ thing for me.  Most of the time, sobriety is an ‘hour by hour’ choice.  Sometimes I have to choose every five minutes whether I will surrender to my addiction or surrender to Jesus.”

Job finally surrenders to Jesus; he prays, he listens to the Word of God, and he takes himself out of the driver’s seat.  In the end, Job is restored, his life is restored, and his hope is restored.  Job’s life does not look exactly like it did before the trouble, but life is very good.

I imagine you have a friend like Job; they are going through a season of struggle and trouble.  They need you to invite them to surrender (either for the first time or yet another time!) to Jesus.  Encourage them to pray, to listen for the Word of God in the Bible, and to let Jesus be in control.  When your friend makes this surrender, both of you will take delight in the Lord for Jesus’ deliverance.

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug