I have to be honest here. As I’ve been processing what the Lord has placed on my heart to blog about for this week, I continue coming back to the word, “surrender.” But then I brush it off. I’ve written about that before…a few times (I just looked it up…under the category “surrender” on the church blog, seven blogs come up…six of them are written by me…the truth hurts). People are going to think I’m becoming lazy, or that I just don’t have any new material. But it comes back again to my thoughts…”surrender.” And then I come across two verses in Psalm that stop me in my tracks. Ok Lord…let’s talk about “surrender.”
I like control. I just wanted to get that out there. Can you relate? I like believing that if I plan correctly, prep accordingly, and pre-process any possible things that might go wrong, then I will be fine. I won’t be surprised and everything will work out perfectly…according to my plan. Which is obviously the best plan for me because I made it.
But what so often happens to these grand plans? Failed expectations. Brokenness. Disappointment. It’s as if I think that I actually am in control, and then reality hits. I’m reminded of the truth that we live in a fallen world, and I need to surrender to His plan. His amazing, and never changing plan that has always been the plan.
And you know what? That’s good news. Our God, full of grace, picks me up, picks us up, time and time again when we find ourselves desperately calling out for understanding. Why didn’t this work out, Lord? It all made sense. The signs pointed to this being the answer. Everyone was on the same page. All other doors were closed. Why?
And this is where those two verses in the Psalms come into play. Those two verses that I mentioned earlier were what the Lord used recently to remind me of the beauty found within the word, “surrender.” Those two verses say,
“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap;
he puts the deeps in storehouses.”
Psalm 33:6-7
By His word…just His word…He makes the heavens.
By His breath…just His breath…stars are born. Stars that can’t be counted by even the greatest scientist and technology.
And then He gathers. He gathers the waters of the sea and places it safely down with boundaries. He gathers…I picture what it looks like when I attempt to hold all the laundry at once and take it to the basement…not wanting to lose a sock along the way. God gathers the sea as a heap and by His plan, places it down.
Wow…how small and out of control do I feel now.
And you know what…it feels good. It feels right.
It’s that reminder I need everyday, hour by hour, that His plan is better. Even when it hurts, even when it doesn’t make sense…He is the Creator of ALL. He gathered the sea. With his breath and word the heavens were formed.
But it doesn’t stop there. And that’s what floors me. The Creator of ALL loves us. He loves us so much that two thousand years ago He sent His only Son to die the death we deserved so we can enter into a right relationship with Him. A relationship with the one who placed the stars in the sky.
So the next time I find myself taking control (…tomorrow…) my prayer is that I’m quickly reminded of “surrender.” My prayer is that I remember that I have a relationship with Jesus and that I get to be a part of this amazing story of redemption.
This is likely not my last blog on this topic, I guess that’s the process of sanctification. But I hope and pray that every day my thoughts turn to the Creator a little faster than the day before, instead of my plan.