Obedience and Surrender

This is not an easy one. It doesn't matter who you are, where you've been, or where you're going. Saying "no" to ourselves is not natural for us. We want to satisfy desires, enjoy life, and plan for the next indulgence. I love to eat out, have nice things, and go great places, and anticipate the next big thing. Lately I have been thinking about my own obedience and have realized that I have not been reliant on my Father to sustain me. I haven't completely surrendered. I want more. I'm sorry.

I want to be obedient. I love what Paul says in Romans 7:14-25 about the struggle between the heart and the mind and how that relates to sin. Any sin or struggle will do, really. "I know I'm rotten through and through so far as my sinful nature is concerned...I try not to do wrong, but I do it anyway...the sin within me is doing it...I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind...Who will free me from this...? thank God! The answer is Jesus Christ our Lord."

Obedience requires surrender. Neither is easy. Faith is crucial to both. Childlike faith. When I think of childlike faith, I remember putting Braden on my shoulders as a young child (I'm talking under 2 years of age). He would ride around up there without holding on to my head, flailing his arms about, his dad only holding on to his feet. Until one day when his faith was broken. In an attempt to have a little fun, the faith of a child was broken by his father. While Braden was on my shoulders, riding around, wiggling and giggling, I thought it would be a "rush" for him if I jolted him back, just a little. He reached out and grabbed on to my head with a vice-like grip. I could hardly pry his little fingers from around my neck to get him off. He was scared. He had been exposed to the possibility that his father would let him fall. From then on, when he rode on my shoulders, he hung on. Shame on me, huh? (Just to let you know, Braden is fine now.)

Life experiences cause us to become distrustful of others. Someone takes credit for our idea. A friend betrays. A spouse leaves. We build walls of protection around ourselves and don't want to get burned again. We need to constantly remind ourselves that we can trust God by surrendering to Him and through our obedience to Him. A relationship with Him is unlike any earthly relationship we will ever have. Earthly relationships, no matter how healthy and loving, lead to some level of disappointment. An intimate relationship with God leads to blessing after blessing in all areas of our lives when we wait on Him.

Father, I want to be obedient to You. Help me to surrender to You again and again. Day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute.