I surrender!

I am a new creation. Technically speaking I have been one since I was saved in 5th grade, but I feel as if I am a new new creation... Pastor's sermon from Sunday is still with me--a phenomenon that has not happened for years. I have always listened with my ears, but last week my heart was willing to learn. The phrase "He who has ears, let him hear" suddenly means something to me. The first major truth since our reformation is being revealed to my heart.

Living a holy life is incredibly simple. I suppose that is why Jesus took the liberty to sum up the law and the prophets into two simple statements, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind" and "Love your neighbor as yourself". I feel as if both of those could be rolled into, "Surrender everything to the Lord."

Throughout my life I have heard many illustrations for the spirit-filled surrendered life. I will forever remember the image conjured by a sermon of Tim Johnson's when I was in high school.

I remember imagining myself standing that the edge of a crystal clear river-shallow and gently moving at the edges but increasingly deep and turbulent further in. This river represented the Holy Sirit. I imagined (and sadly still do) myself standing ankle deep. It is a comfortable place to be. I can feel the Holy Spirit calm, soothe and maybe even sway my steps a bit, but I am still very much in control. At times I may have dared to go knee-deep but the moment my foot slips the slightest bit I am quick to move back towards the shore.

Pastor Tim's challenge that morning was to walk out into that river lay your head back and lift your feet off of the bottom. Although it may be terrifying you can trust where the river will take you. Henry Varley once said to D.L. Moody, "The world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to him" What a haunting and inspiring idea.

This whole idea is now fresh in my mind. So much of life as a Christian is accomplished by simply letting go. It sounds so simple but is so unbearably terrifying.

Lord, let me let go. I am terrified of where the river may take me but help me to trust you and plunge myself into the full current of the river.