I don’t reblog many posts but this wonderful illustration and story from Pastor Lawrence so touched my heart that I felt compelled to share on Praise2worship. I have so often tried unsuccessfully to maintain control of my circumstances all the while God is calling for surrender. Jesus said that if we want to find our life we must first be willing to lose it for Him.
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23 ESV
It is important to be careful of what we sing in church because not only God is listening but also some of our friends! For example one day after singing “I Surrender All” for our little nursing home group I launched into a short devotional about surrendering to God. Just I was just beginning to warm up one elderly lady sweetly interrupted me and asked; “What have you surrendered?” For a moment I was speechless. I had no idea what to list as to any kind of real suffering I had been through. Her question got me thinking. Sure I had surrendered plenty for the sake of my family; but what had I ever given up because of my faith? Now after many years I confess that I still don’t have a perfect answer but it helps me to remember that even people like James, Stephen and Paul who were martyred also had jobs, family relationships to deal with and bills to pay. They died for their faith in Christ but they also lived a lifetime of surrendering in small details that no one saw but Jesus.
And though most of us may never have to choose to die at the hands of our persecutors we do have a daily choice to make. Will we choose to say every day, “I Surrender All” because no matter what Jesus has surrendered all for us!
Have you ever worked with clay? Probably Jeremiah had not, so when God wanted to explain His will He invited the prophet to take a walk with him down to the potter’s house.
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear Or will cause you to hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was ch. spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. Jeremiah 18:1-4 ESV
If you are like me there are days when you feel as helpless as clay in the grip of events far beyond your control. “Have Thine Own Way” sung by Deborah Kim reminds me of the comfort He gives when I realize that it is God who is in control of the potter’s wheel. God doesn’t expect me to understand all the details of His plan. He doesn’t ask me to form the pattern of my future. He only waits for me to humbly surrender His almighty hands. So whether we are in the middle of a hurricane or simply drifting through unknown waters we need to ask; “Have I surrendered my heart and will to Jesus today?” At that moment of yielding to His hands He becomes my potter and more wonderfully still – we become His clay!
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