"By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going."
- Hebrews 11:8
A mother in telling the story of her son Dwight's close brush with death, shares what it means to surrender.
Dwight, waterskiing as a child, smashed into the dock and cracked his skull. He lay motionless before his parents. Soon a helicopter whisked him away. It had room for only the pilot, physician, and the unconscious patient. This was a terrible disappointment for the mother, since she was hoping that she, as his mother, could accompany her son to the hospital. But in order for her child to get medical attention immediately, she had to totally surrender Dwight to God and place him in the care of people she did not know. God rewarded her trust, and today Dwight is a successful minister.
Likewise, in our daily Christian walk it is of utmost importance to surrender totally to God if we are to experience His healing power in our lives. Andrew Murray tells us that a life of absolute surrender is one that genuinely and sincerely obeys God day by day and has a fellowship with Him through His word and prayer.
Surrendering is the most difficult action in life. We want the last word! We demand our rights! Webster defines surrendering as much giving up possession of, or power over, or yielding to another. Today we hear much about being our own person and maintaining our rights. Seminars teach us how to win and how to get ahead and even intimidate others. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could have seminars that teach us how to surrender?
Total surrender is not a normal part of our vocabulary. In the morning we may pray, "Lord, I give myself to You today. Work out Your life in me." But how often we get up from our knees and take control instead of waiting for God to lead.
For a peaceful life in Christ, there must be a complete - total - surrender on our part, a giving up of ourselves completely to His will. We must be willing to do what He wants and allow Him to do with us what he sees is best. Although this is not easy, remember that God does not expect us to surrender in our own strength or by sheer willpower. He is more than willing to help us. Pray for trust in Him and belief in His power to help. "For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).
Abraham lived a life to total surrender. It was not easy to leave the familiar home territory and move away from relatives and friends, not knowing where he would go. But his unquestioning obedience showed his faith and trust in God. Because Abraham knew the secret of surrendering, he blessed many with the fragrance of his life. All knew that he was connected with God. The zenith of this surrender came when God asked him to sacrifice his son of promise on Mount Moriah.
We receive God's full blessing only through total surrender. Thank God today for the Holy Spirit, who enables us to yield our lives to Christ in total surrender to him.
• Pastor Albert Tilstra is pastor of Seventh-day Adventist Churches of Silver Springs and Yerington.