Surrender

Have you ever been brought to your spiritual knees?

I have. Several times. Several different ways. Same lesson each time.

Surrender.

God has been so good to me lately. I have felt His presence more often than any other time I can remember. He is right here being the perfect God He is. Several times recently I have been overwhelmed with His presence. I mean overwhelmed. I dropped to my knees, I gave thanks, and for a minute I thought, "Why? Why would God show up in such a powerful way when I sit alone on my couch, reading His Word, just trying to be obedient? Why would He do this for me?" The answers came within seconds and it is so simple. He just loves me that much. He loves all of us that much. And he wants us to surrender.

The call to surrender is powerful. For those of us who hear it, then dig in our heels more firmly, the message is this: you won't get the call if there isn't something to surrender! It can be hard, but the benefits are plentiful because surrender brings transformation. The transformation in us takes place in a way we don't often notice, but others do. It begins when we enter the process of surrendering our lives to God, piece by broken piece. We let go of worldy desires and focus on the desires of the Lord. The transformation begins.

My husband, Pete, and I discussed this several nights ago. The next morning I opened my devotional. The day's lesson referenced two pieces of Scripture. One of those was Romans 12:2. It says:

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you
will be able to test and approve what's God will is -- his
good, pleasing, and perfect will."

I guess it's time to pull my heels out of the mud.