(Following the postivie impact of her last guest entry on Weeping births Joy, it’s a pleasure to post another inspired article for accomplished writer and speaker – Cynthia J. Bourne. The content of this one is worth considering very seriously as we consider who we are in Christ as opposed to who others want us to be. – For His Name’s Sake, Shalom, C. L. J. Dryden)
We can draw on the example of people held captive. From the moment the captor shouts, ‘hands up’ or the police shouts, ‘Police! Nobody move! Hands up!’ and the hands are raised, there is a surrender of all rights. Any decision making is now in the their hands. They shout the orders and they are followed – on arguments.
Did you know, when we lift our hands in praise and worship, wherever we are, we are giving God a signal of our surrender to Him? I pray our hearts follow our hands.
When we say, ‘we surrender to God’, God is expecting our everything. Anything less is not surrender. It’s just giving god some area or some space. Newsflash – this is not the contract God has on offer – this not what He wants us to sign up to. God’s contract says, ‘I give you my all. You give me, your all. I give you more.‘
I gave you My all – I came to you in Jesus. I live with you. I teach you and show Kingdom living. I suffered ridicule, torture and death – then I rose again having finished the work. I have given my all.
You give me your all – You surrender all of you to Me. The whole of your life – your ambition, possessions, good bits, secret bits – everything you are and have.
I give you more – I give you My love, peace, healing, advocacy, protection and provision. I give you My Spirit and so much more in this life. I give you life in and abundance and life eternal in the earth made new, where you get a new name, a precious stone and complete eradication from of the corruptible and destructive effects of this current world.
But the important thing that makes this contract work is our complete surrender. We have to become completely unselfish. Which means our mindset has to change from ‘this is mine’ to ‘everything about me, in me and all I have belongs to you, God who gave it to me in the first place, including the glorious crown of my free will.’ So, whatever God asks us to give, we are willing to give.
Acts of surrender and unselfishness are not always easy, it can hurt and stretch us, lead us in paths we may not want to go. As we reflect on Abraham’s obedience in taking his only son to be sacrificed, it might have been painful for him, but he gave willingly – ‘here he is God, as you asked.’
May we today have a fresh look at the contract we entered into with our heavenly Father and see if we have fully surrendered to being His child. The wording on His side of the contract remains the same. Let’s check if we have any crossings out on our side of the contract and decide today what wea re going to do about it.
Blessings, Sister Cynthia J. Bourne
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