We are right in the middle of Lent, which is a 40-day period of time always preceding Holy Week. This Liturgical practice focuses on surrender, just like Jesus modeled, in the desert before he began his earthly ministry. In light of the season, it seemed only appropriate to make this month’s “Words of worship” focus to be surrender. You can read more about words of worship here: Digging out the words of worship: O Magnify the LORD and Why the words we use in worship matter!)
I have a friend, who has been helping me learn how to speak Spanish. He has taught me that there are several layers to language learning. You can recognize a word because it’s familiar and then you can also know a what the word means and how to use it correctly in conversation. This bit of information has been helpful, encouraging me to keep at it, but it also reminds me that words matter—you have to know what a word means in order to communicate effectively.
I share that with you to give context to my point: The words we use in worship matter. If you are going to pursue God, you must come with sincerity and authenticity. You have to be honest—and you can’t be honest if you using words—though familiar—you don’t fully understand.
There is no accusation here; no judgement. We are all subject to the same condition. God has invited us to come close and he has made the way in clear. By no means is it easy, but it is clear.
The practice of surrender is necessary to help us keep our hearts positioned correctly before God. This is not once and done—it’s an ongoing practice. When we pursue God, surrender must become our standard.
What is surrender?
What is surrender? Go ahead, take a minute, because I really want you to answer that question. I mean, you don’t owe me an explanation, but you owe it to yourself. Write it down and then read it back.
Okay—all finished?
How did that process make you feel? Did you have an easy time writing out your definition or did you find yourself wanting to look it up? If you anything like me, it was probably a little of both.
The practice of surrender certainly has several connotations, but ultimately the basic meaning is the same. To surrender we must give up, yield, abandon, or relinquish—something. In our context, when we use the word surrender in worship, we are talking about our lives—everything in our lives.
In Deuteronomy 5:7, God says,
“You shall have no other gods before me.”
There is only room for God on the throne, so all the idols have to come down—including the idol of self. Pride is sneaky, but that is no excuse. God’s grace is beautiful and powerful, opening the door into his presence, but he still requires surrender of pride—which is everything. True worship begins with trust and surrender.
God is Holy—the redemptive work of the Cross does not negate his value. Holiness still matters and so surrender is the only way in. It ushers the process of transformation, which happens at the hand of Daddy-God, when we surrender. He does what we cannot do, but it happens only when we trust him, surrender, and then submit to it.
Trust God
The practice of surrender begins with trust. Yeah, I know that’s probably not new for you to hear, but let me ask you, do you trust God? Again, that’s not an accusation, it’s an invitation to press in and dig it out. Just because you want to trust him, doesn’t mean you actually do. And sometimes it’s not that you don’t trust him, it’s just that you don’t trust him completely. There it is—the crux of the matter—complete trust. What does that even look like?
If you read any of what I write, you will note that trust is a theme that comes up often. I believe that trust is a choice, which activates faith to step into obedience. Surrender starts with trust.
Do you trust God to surrender everything?
I know that feels a little personal, but it’s a fair question—again, not for me, but for you. It’s not fun to wrestle through, but it’s a good and I encourage you to talk about with Him. Spend some time in prayer and ask the LORD about trust; ask him to reveal your heart on this issue.
Here is the good news—God loves you. His desire is for relationship with you, and so he doesn’t relent in his pursuit of you. He sees it all, knows it all, and works through it all, to bring about restoration. He is faithful; he is trustworthy.
If you will listen to him in the quiet places of prayer, as he reveals to you the areas of doubt in your heart (because you need to know we all have them), he will help. The broken parts of our lives don’t need to stay broken—He will heal, but it starts with trust and it’s activated by surrender.
Cut down the idols
No other gods…
God is pretty clear—nothing else comes before Him. Sin created a necessity to establish a precept that defined the boundaries of relationship with God. Worship is really the demonstration of that intimate communion.
The practice of surrender helps us cut down the idols, but the deeper into the presence of God we go, the more he reveals the hidden places of idolatry embedded in our hearts. Have you studied much on the subject of idolatry? Throughout the Old Testament, God likens it with adultery and prostitution—kind of makes you feel gross, right?
Learning to recognize idols is never a popular activity, right? Because who wants discover thatlurking deep down within? Here’s the thing, at some point we have to get brave and trust God. Surrendering the things that stand in the way of wholeness is the only way to healing.
Idolatry is not just carved images, it is whatever you exalt in your life. Idolatry is always based in pride, in serving the desire of self. Idols can be people you love, special talents and abilities, thought patterns, hate, fear, addictions, bitterness…etc. When you bravely cut down the idols, you demonstrate surrender.
God will not share the throne, so in order to enter into his presence, surrender is required. That choice to trust is the only thing that’s going to make surrender easier, because let’s be real, some things are really hard to lay down. No other god, means everything has to come down. Surrender actively, consciously, and intentionally lets it go and believes God for what’s best.
Offer up the sacrifice
The practice of surrender yields to God. It takes a position of weakness, choosing to trust God’s sovereignty and believes his promises. Surrender is not a way to bargain or leverage for selfish desire. It is an intentional choice to practice trusting God for his best—even if it means having to sacrifice the things we want.
“Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the LORD.” Psalm 4:5
“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:2
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Romans 12:1
Surrender always requires sacrificing the thing. You do know that sometimes even the good and beautiful things in our lives can become stumbling blocks, right? A great example is Abraham and Isaac. God promised Abraham a son and Isaac was the fulfillment of that promise. Yet, there came a time when God tested Abraham, asking him to sacrifice his son. Go back and read the whole story, in Genesis 18-22, because it’s important to understand that even the gifts that God gives us can become more than what they should be.
There is only one God and he will not share the throne.
So, go ahead, lay the idol on the altar and grab ahold of God. Exchange brokenness for healing, rejection for acceptance, and mourning for joy—His best is always about wholeness and oneness. Surrender may feel like losing it all, but, in fact, surrender is about gaining everything.
The practice of surrender
The practice of surrender is about alignment. Surrender dies to self, in order to live unto God.
“What God wants is a sacrifice through death which enables us to do what Jesus did, that is, sacrifice our lives. Not— “Lord, I am willing to go with You…to death.” (Luke 22:33). But— “I am willing to be identified with Your death so that I may sacrifice my life to God.” Oswald Chambers 1
The practice of surrender is hard, but it leads to life—beautiful, grace-filled, abundant life! It’s worth it, but you have to know there are so many layers. Don’t for a second think that you’ve arrived, because there is always more. The LORD invites us to come close, to step into the deep parts of the river for deeper healing. It’s scary hard, but it’s the only way.
I’m going to close with the lyrics of an old familiar song. Let the words of this honest prayer take you deeper into the practice of surrender. Allow yourself to press into surrender, not for the sake of martyrdom, but for the sake of holy living.
I Surrender All
All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give.
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence, daily live.
I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Thee my blessed Savior
I surrender all
All to Jesus I surrender
Humbly at His feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me Jesus take me now
All to Jesus I surrender
Make me Savior Wholly Thine
Let me feel the Holy Spirit
Truly know that Thou are mine.
All to Jesus I surrender
Lord I give myself to Thee
Fill me with Thy love and power
Let Thy blessing fall on me
All to Jesus I surrender
Now I feel the sacred flame
O the joy of full salvation
Glory, glory, to His name. 2
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