I surrender!
‘If a king goes out with ten thousand men to fight another king who comes against him with twenty thousand men, he will sit down first and decide if he is strong enough to face that other king. If he isn’t, he will send messengers to meet the other king, to ask for terms of peace while he is still a long way off. In the same way,’ concluded Jesus, ‘none of you can be my disciple unless you give up everything you have.’ (verses 31-33)
Read Luke 14:25-33
Did you ever have play-fights when you were a kid? It was a common pastime for my brothers and me. When things went beyond playful and got a bit serious, there was always a way out of trouble. The simple phrase ‘I surrender’ was usually enough to win the other’s mercy. It wasn’t the most sporting of things to say but nevertheless proved a handy last resort to pull out in time of need.
The Lord Jesus wants you to surrender to him—completely. He wants you to surrender to him every day, not just when you’re in a difficult spot. After all, didn’t he surrender much more to make you his own disciple? As you surrender to him, as you ‘give up’ your time, your possessions, your will, yes, even your whole life, he will not hold back the blessings he gives to all his disciples.
Lord Jesus, you gave your all for my salvation. By your grace, help me to daily surrender my life to your loving lordship. Amen.
by Simon Cooper, in ‘Renewed Hope for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2000)
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