Greetings to you in the name of the child who is called ‘Wonderful Counsellor-Mighty God-Everlasting Father-Prince of Peace’, Jesus Christ – THE Risen Saviour! What a beautiful morning in the Kingdom – sunshine, blue skies, crispy snow, and …yes! it is ‘frosty’, but very beautiful all the same. I trust that you are enjoying these days with a measure of health, strength, and happiness. Today I will be praying for you, asking Father to arrange a new Christmas insight or memory that you can cherish for days to come.
One of my very favourite-ist Christmas songs is – ‘In the Bleak Mid-winter’ written by Christina Rossetti and I suppose it is because of the last verse – ‘What can I give Him poor as I am-If I were a shepherd I would give a lamb-If I were a wise man I would do my part-What can I give Him…I will give my heart’ I was thinking of that verse with the idea of ‘surrender’, and I looked again at Psalm 46:10 … ‘Be still and know that I am God’ – ‘Surrender yourself to God, he is in control’.
‘Surrender’ – surrender what? We use the word very easily, maybe even thoughtlessly at times. I have been learning that ‘surrendering to God’ involves many areas. Surrender the physical side of my life…my diet, exercise, sleep patterns. Surrender my finances…my tithes, gifts, offerings. Surrender my relationships…time spent, words spoken, grudges held. Surrender of my hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Surrender of my spiritual life…how I participate in the life of my church, being a part of the family of God, and nurturing a personal relationship with God.
What can I give to God this year…I can look at areas where I have been holding back and I can chose to wave the ‘white flag’ and surrender…and I can do so with ‘my heart’. I have learned from the words of a song…The more I surrender to Jesus my Lord-The more of his goodness I know! Oddly enough it is in this kind of giving to God that I become a recipient.
Something to think about…have a blessed day!