waving a white flag

I finally realized the beauty of SURRENDER!  I suppose I had gotten my idea of surrender from war movies and other images that depict surrender as a moment of defeat, but surrender to Jesus is VICTORY! 

Jesus once spoke to a crowd saying, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me.  If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it.  But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.”  (Luke 9:23, NLT)  Another time he explained,  ”If you want to be my follower you must love me more than your own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters - yes, more than your own life.  Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.  And you cannot be my disciple if you do not carry your own cross and follow me… No one can be my disciple without giving up everything for me.” (Luke 14, NLT)

I absolutely love that He said if we give up our lives for him we will find TRUE LIFE!  Surrender IS victory!!!  The more I live -  the more I follow Jesus, give up of myself, and delight in my God - the more I get it!  It’s not about me!  It’s not about my family.  It’s not about my friends.  It’s not about money.  It’s not about things.   It’s about Jesus.  Knowing that… No, knowing Him… and setting selfish ambtions, I’ve found TRUE LIFE!  And oh, it’s a beautiful thing. 

I’m waving my white flag confidently… proudly… VICTORIOUSLY these days shouting, “YES!  I give up!  Here I am!  Send me!  Take my life!  I don’t want it for me anymore!  It’s Yours!”   Scary?  Kinda, yeah.  Glorious?  Absolutely! 

Are you waving your white flag?  Do it!  See where it takes you!  Don’t wait until you have everything in order.  Take a step to follow Jesus… really follow Him… and He’ll lead you through all you need to “get in order.”  It won’t be ABOUT you, your family, your friends, money, or things… but it will CHANGE you, your family, your friends, your use of money, and your perspective on things.  You’ll find TRUE LIFE! 

:o)