Surrender, not Commitment

A few months ago, I heard one of our pastor's say something that I may have heard before but never hit me until that moment. He asked the congregation after a lengthy story, "What can we do in return?". Now I don't really remember the story very well and I can't tell you what lead up to this point but most of the congregations said something along the lines of "Commit to Him" or "Praise Him". That is what pastor Jamie knew we would all say. He stopped and said, "No. We surrender." The bottom line in that moment: our culture around here has gotten so involved in how committed we are to God when our commitment will never be enough. I read Jeremiah 33 yesterday and man did I hear God speaking loud and clear (note: when I say I read I really mean I listened on my Holy Bible app so it did kind of sound like God speaking loud and clear). The chapter is God telling Jeremiah about what a prostitute Israel has been. He says that the people of Israel claim that God has broken His promise to them when that is not possible. God says, "This is what the Lord says: 'If I have not made my covenant with day and night and established the laws of heaven and earth, then I will reject the descendants of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his sons to rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes and have compassion on them.'" (Jeremiah 33:25, 26 NIV) God reminds them that He is God and no more than he can break a covenant with the very earth He created, He will not break a covenant with this nation. No people in all of creation can be as committed to God as He is to us. None. His commitment is more infinite than the laws of nature and the promise of day and night. In reading this, I know that no commitment of mine will ever be enough. I realize that God does was me to be committed to Him and to follow through with the promises I make Him, though He knows the chances of my failure in those very commitments. What He desires more than that is my surrender. He wants to see me surrendered to Him, giving all my life to Him, knowing my failures and my strengths but trusting my life to His hands. Because my commitment will never be enough, He would rather have the surrender of all my life to Him. It is more valuable than a promise. It is the ultimate humbled position: face to the ground every day trusting Him, knowing His promises are forever, He Himself is always and has always been faithful.

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