Jeremiah Chapter 21
Surrender and Live.
King Zedekiah, of Judah, was being attacked by Babylon in Jerusalem. He sent for Jeremiah to see if he would say, “God will deliver Babylon into your hands.”
But he didn’t. Instead he said God himself will use Babylon to destroy all the people because they refuse to repent. God did say whoever SURRENDERS to Babylon by leaving the city of Jerusalem, and leaving the protecting walls of Jerusalem, they will live.
I find it interesting that the only way they could live was if they SURRENDERED. It’s a thought process we don’t usually adhere to because we have the “I MUST WIN” mentality of thinking. But if you think about it, living a life as a follower of Jesus is all about SURRENDER. We can’t experience a new life in Jesus if we don’t SURRENDER our lives to him. SURRENDER gives the Lord permission to carry out his will over ours. Think about it:
In Matthew 26: 36-46, Jesus Is In The Garden of Gethsemane praying to the father as he knows his time to give of his life is near. But he prays if it is possible for this cup to be removed, then great, but ends by saying, “but not my will but your will be done.” Jesus knew the value of surrender as he surrendered his will to the father’s will.
In Matthew 19:21-24, the rich man asked Jesus what he must do to be saved. Jesus, seeing the man’s love for possessions and money, told him to SURRENDER all he had by selling his possessions and giving to the poor. However, the man was unable to do so because of his love for wealth. He was not able to SURRENDER the very thing that stood between him and the Lord.
What do we need to SURRENDER to the Lord so we can experience all he has for us? Is it our lives, our will, our possessions, our control, our addictions, our attitudes? Take time to pray before God now and ask what it is that stands between us and him that’s hurting our relationship with him. Then SURRENDER it and do so daily. Then follow him 100% versus 50% or anything less than 100%.
