A Barefoot Man’s SurrenderSample

Surrender

Moses simply saw a strange sight, drew closer and heard a voice. All that was required of him was surrender. Discovering God’s will for your life does not result from deal making with the Almighty, but begins instead with surrender.

Surrender is a lifelong process of releasing control and grasping trust. It might seem that “giving up” to the plan of God would get easier with age, but that’s not the case. It gets more difficult the older we become. Don’t let your heart get in a rut. Continue to surrender to the call of God by saying “Here I am” when you hear His voice, just as Moses did.

The Bible is filled with “Here I am” responses. Isaiah said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isa. 6:8). Peter accepted Jesus’ invitation for a nighttime stroll on the waves (Matt. 14:28-32). Jesus Himself answered God’s call to the cross with the words, “May your will be done” (Matt. 26:42). Is there any other way but surrender? We can refuse to listen, and refuse to surrender, but we do so at our own peril. Surrendering our agenda to God’s makes sense, because His way is best.

As I was working on this chapter, I had the opportunity to put my words into practice. I had gone to our church’s retreat center for a day of focused writing. The day I was crafting this section on surrender, I looked up from my work to see a man peering through the window at me! I asked him what he needed, and he said, “a phone.” I met him at the door and let him use my cell to call the owner of the pasture he was mowing to request more diesel. We began to chat; and I realized this was a “Here I am” moment of surrender for me. My plan was good, but God’s was bound to be better. So I surrendered the book for a few minutes. This young man found it very interesting that I was writing about knowing God’s will. He asked me how to find God’s will in love. I just happened to have a few notes ready. Then we prayed together.

If I hadn’t walked toward the strange sight at my window and surrendered my agenda for a few moments, I would have missed a great opportunity to be used by God.