A Willing Surrender
Surrender is our best move. Can you believe it? It doesn’t sound like a great battle strategy. Surrender is the contradiction that keeps people at a distance from God. With love and affection God calls His children to draw near. But we seem to be a population of strong willed children. Like a defiant two year old, we insist on our own way rather than following the instruction of our Father. Our identity is forged from our ego (rather than from our relationship with God). And so we tread our own path. This is the case for every human being until the point we receive the Lord. We can’t just make some room for him in our lives, we have to surrender to His direction.
We seem to know that when we first believe, but then later drift back to our confidence in our own self-direction. James confronts this common misstep “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, purify your hearts you double minded.” James 4:8 If anyone was able to follow their own direction and wisdom it was Jesus. But He both MADE the WAY and SHOWED us the WAY in His submission to His Father… “Not my will, but yours be done” Luke 22:42
We have to come back to this principle of surrender again and again throughout our lives. Our ego can raise up again - a net gain in the world of what is perishable. Our surrender to His will secures gains in the world of the imperishable. This year as we begin the season of Lent let’s remember Christ’s sacrifice and our ongoing surrender to Him.
Jesus said, “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
Paul explained, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Catholics and some Protestants observe Ash Wednesday by the wearing ashes on their heads. Let it serve as a reminder to us as well. God surrendered His Son. Jesus surrendered His will. The Spirit surrendered His dwelling place in the temple to live within us. We surrender our ego and plans for the perishable to gain a reward imperishable and eternal that we will enjoy forever with Him.
I love you. God bless you.
Pastor Tom
Upcoming Events
March 2 – Lent Begins/Ash Wednesday
March 10 – ABWM will meet 10:00 a.m.
March 11 – DLABC Men’s Fellowship 11a.m.
March 12 – Indoor Workday starting at 9:30 a.m.
March 13 – Daylight Saving Time Begins
DLABC MEN’S FELLOWSHIP:
The next meeting will be March 11, 2022 – Friday, 11:00 a.m., at Holly’s Home Cooking – 489 East Dixie Drive – West Carrollton, OH 45449. Men’s Fellowship Meeting will take place the second Friday of every month at 11:00 a.m. If you would like to bring a friend, please do so. If you have any questions, call or text Brad at 937-603-2141.
American Baptist Women News:
ABWM news: On March 10 at 10:00 am our women will meet and hear Bessie Smith share about her "Walk with Christ." Devotions will be by Jerri Wood and Bible Book of the month is Ezra. Coordinator for the meeting is Pat Trent. We hope to see you soon.
Library:
Upstairs in lobby on library shelves are books for reading during Lent. We have Max Lucado books ( He Chose the Nails, and The Day the Angels Were Silent); Bonhofer's Meditations on the Cross; Yancy: Jesus I Never Knew; Adam Hamilton, Final Words and Nicholson: Miracles of Christ. Also, there are many others upstairs and downstairs with meditations for Lent. Also, there are books for children about Easter.
Mission/Caring:
In March we will collect the America For Christ Offering for 2022. Please consider giving as we engage in transformational mission to bring God’s love and light into the hearts of people everywhere.
Comments