"We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth." 1 John 16-18.
As I study the New Testament Church, it's such a simple picture. Love with deed and truth. Sell all your possessions and give to those in need. Our job on this earth is to be "all in" for Jesus. Putting his Love and Purpose above all people, possessions and loves of this world, for what was His purpose? To love, to show love in deed and truth, to pour love into the sick, the lost, the broken, the poor, the lonely, the forgotten.
Following Jesus has nothing to do with what Jesus can do for me. It's only about what can I do to bring His love to someone else. He meets my needs and I stand on His promise that he will take care of me. I don't need to ask him for anything more except to say yes to Him daily, no matter what He asks of me. The word surrender means to cease resistance and submit to authority. Surrendering daily means resisting the desire to put myself, my family, my kids, my wants, my Netflix down and submitting to His agenda, for the day, for the next week, month year, until my journey comes to an end.
Jesus has been breaking my heart, piece by piece for almost two years. Chipping away the traditions of Christianity that I have learned, used to judge others, build myself up and have allowed to replace Jesus in my life. Surrendering to nothing, resisting authority because I was busy being about my Father's business by working in ministry, creating programs, longing for accolades and sacrificing myself for the good of ministry.
Two years ago, I was sitting at the table, dishes stacked to be washed, resting in the quietness of the end of a long day. Enjoying the peace after a wearisome day of living out my nobility as a teacher of broken children. Comfortable in the knowledge that I was doing more than my fair share to help the world, Proud of my Christianity, proud of my position of leadership in our church, proud of my daughter excelling in college. Proud of my sweet son. Feeling complete and looking ahead to an empty nest in a few years, maybe full time children's ministry, travel, a new car. The word surrender never even encroaching it's way into my spirit. I was scrolling through Facebook and a picture of a little Chinese girl with a pixie hair cut caught my eye and I turned the computer around to Frank and said, isn't she a cutie. This little girl is now Winnie and has a beautiful family in Texas. I clicked on the link and it took me to an adoption advocacy site that was called Reece's Rainbow. I clicked a button and up came these two pictures.
This little girl was standing at the beginning of my road to surrender. Sitting at that table, in that very moment, we looked at that picture and, not knowing the way, where the road went or how we would travel, we turned onto the road of surrender and began our journey to the beginning of understanding what Jesus asks of us following salvation. That moment when He requires us to pick up our cross, sell our possessions, leave our father, mother, brother, sister, sons and daughters and follow Him.
My prayer for all of us today is to ask the precious Savior to open our eyes to the road we are on. To meet us right in the middle of our journey and offer us another road, the road of surrender. Trust in Him today to meet your needs as you give up resistance and submit to His authority. Allow him to begin to chip away the trappings of Christianity that are not tied to His Truth.
This is only the beginning of a precious story of forgiveness and grace and glory to my King Jesus...
