Surrender 101Намуна

Whenever I read examples of surrender, I’m encouraged to submit to the Lord and His perfect plans for me. One notable example is when God appears to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3), instructing him to go to Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Initially, Moses hesitates and doubts his ability to fulfill this task. However, despite his reservations and fears, he ultimately surrenders to God's command and agrees to carry out the mission. He is also asked to lead a nation of slaves to freedom from Egypt’s tight grip. Unfortunately, what was supposed to be an eleven-day journey turned out to be a forty-year trek in the wilderness.

Throughout their journey, Moses continually sought guidance from God and submitted to His instructions, even when faced with challenges and opposition from the Israelites themselves. Moses demonstrates surrender by trusting God's guidance and relying on His strength to lead the people to safety and the Promised Land. Overall, the story of Moses in the Bible is a narrative of surrendering to God's will, trusting in His plans, and faithfully following His guidance, even in the face of uncertainty and adversity.

In the story of Noah, found in the book of Genesis 6-9, Noah demonstrates surrender to God's will by faithfully carrying out God's command to build an ark in preparation for the great flood. Despite facing ridicule and disbelief from others, Noah obeys God's instructions to build the ark according to precise specifications from God and to gather pairs of animals to preserve them from the impending flood. Noah's surrender to God is evident in his obedience and trust, even when the task seems daunting. Despite his doubts, Noah did everything God had commanded him to do. He demonstrated his faith and commitment to fulfilling God's purpose.

In doing so, Noah and his family are ultimately saved from the flood, becoming the ancestors of all humanity after the waters recede. Noah's story serves as a powerful example of surrendering to God's will, even in the face of disbelief or skepticism from others. He trusted in God’s plans for protection and salvation. God desires faith, which is the evidence of things unseen and involves surrendering control or relinquishing the need for absolute certainty. It requires acceptance of uncertainty and a willingness to embrace the unknown.