Following the road to life

Key scripture: Genesis 18:20-33

From where I sit, it appears that surrendering to God places us on the narrow road that leads to life. The broad road, which leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14), is populated by people who have, in essence, surrendered to their own desires and will. This was the case for the inhabitants of Sodom. Abraham and his family, on the other hand, had chosen to follow God, even though they didn’t know where God was leading them. As a result, they were blessed with provision, protection, and blessings from God.

Surrendering our lives to God leads us to a relationship with him that offers safety and allows us to reach out on behalf of others. But, as we will see throughout scripture, those who choose to map their own course and pursue their own desires inevitably encounter grave dangers. Those who refuse to surrender to God remove themselves from his gracious protection and intervention.

Please turn to Deuteronomy 30.

Free to Choose

Key scripture: Deut. 30:15-20

From where I sit, it seems to me that everyone of us have a life-or-death decision to make – the decision to follow Christ wholeheartedly or to rejects him. If we seek God and surrender to him, we choose life. If we run from God and refuse to surrender all our lives, not in part, or the bit we can’t handle, we choose death. This freedom to choose, however, brings with it consequences of our choices. Free will is both a blessing and a responsibility.

God spoke through Moses, saying “Today I an giving you a choice between prosperity and disaster, between life and death. I have commanded you today to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, laws....Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live (Deut. 30:15-16, 19).

We are free to choose. We can choose to set our hearts in the direction of life. We can do this by seeking God and surrendering to Him. This choice will bring spiritual renewal to us and untold blessings to our children for generations to come.

Please turn to 1 Samuel 13.

To Whom Will You Surrender?

Key scripture: 1 Samuel 13:1-14

From where I sit, there is no doubt that pressure has become a regular part of life today. It seems as if everyone wants something of us or expects us to do something. As a result, we are often forced to choose between surrendering to the pressure of others and doing the will of God. Spiritual renewal and growth take place when we choose to obey God before we surrender to anyone’s expectations.

At Saul’s coronation, the prophet Samuel exhorted him to obey God  (1 Samuel 12:14). But Saul allowed his men to pressure him to disobey God’s commands. Israel was at war. In the midst of battle it was customary to have a priest offer sacrifices. Samuel  had promised Saul that he would come at an appointed time to do this. Saul waited for a while but began to feel pressured because his troops were leaving him. He know that it was against God’s law for him to offer the sacrifice as he was not the priest. In spite of this, Saul decided he couldn’t take the pressure any longer, so he offered the sacrifice himself with devastating consequences.

Surrendering to God means that we  resist surrendering to those who pressure us to disobey His commandments. When we surrender to ungodly pressure, we pay dire consequences. When we surrender to God, we benefit, and our family benefits for generations to come.

Please turn to 2 Kings 5.

A Humble Beginning

Key Scripture: 2 Kings 5:1-15

From where I sit, it comes as no surprise that situations that are out of our control will show whether we are operating with pride and self-sufficiency or with humility and dependence on God. If we are willing to humbly depend on God, and recognizes our inability to handle everything on our own, we will see the power God bring great changes in our lives.

The experiences of a man named Naaman illustrate hoe true this is (2 Kings 5:1-15). He was a powerful military and political figure, a man of wealth, position, and power. He also had a less glamorous resume – leprosy, an incurable disease that would slowly destroy his body. Lepers were made outcasts from their families and society. Ultimately, they faced a slow, painful, and disgraceful death.

Naaman heard that there was a prophet in Israel who could heal him. He found the prophet and was told what to do in order to be healed he needed to dip himself seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman went away outraged, having expected his power and money to buy him an instant and easy cure. In the end, however, he acknowledged that this situation was beyond his control.
Humility should not be confused with humiliation. God does not allow us to face situations beyond our control in order to humiliate us. He does so to draw us to Himself and lead us to healing and spiritual renewal.

Please Turn to Job 19.

Surrendering in times of Suffering

Key scripture: Job 19:8-27

From where I sit, I couldn’t fail to recognize that when we experience pain and loss because of something beyond our control, we sometimes feel as if God is our enemy. But the anger and confusion that result don’t separate us from God. We may never grasp why God allows such torment, but we can surrender to Him regardless, trusting that in time He will enable us to understand His will for us.

During his suffering, Job also experienced feelings of bitterness toward God, remarking, “God has blocked my way and plunged my path into darkness. He has stripped me of my honor...He has destroyed my hope...He counts me as an enemy...My close friends abhor me. those I loved have turned against me. I have been reduced to skin and bones and have escaped death by the skin of my teeth” (Job 19:8-20) From where I sit, it doesn’t get uglier than this.
Despite Job’s confusion and pain, however, he was able to conclude his near despair with a statement of faith in God “But as for me, I know that my redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God” (Job: 25-26) Like Job, we must remember that God is on our side even when we do not understand our suffering, and we can surrender to Him in trust.

Please turn to Psalm 111.

The Starting Point

Key Scripture: Psalm 111:1-10

From where I sit, I have been wondering where we begin in search of spiritual renewal? It is imperative that we start with the realization that spiritual renewal comes from God. It is not so much that we seek the experience of spiritual renewal as we seek the one who renews our spirits.

When people came to Jesus to have their needs met, very often He redirected their thinking. He taught them to lift their eyes from their own daily necessities and seek God first. He said, “He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern” (Matt 6:33).
From where I sit, it is commonsensical that we cannot seek the Kingdom of God without bowing and surrendering to the King Himself. In the same way, the Psalmist encourages his listeners to look to God first, who will then meet their needs: “Who can forget the wonders He performs? How gracious and merciful is our Lord! He gives food to those who trust Him; He always remembers His covenant” (Psalm 111:4-5).

So it is with our spiritual hunger. Spiritual renewal does not come from seeking spiritual renewal. That will simply result in temporary emotional high that lacks the true substance that God can provide. Instead, we must seek God and surrender to His rule in our lives.