Every one of us has a weapon; it is something we must each surrender. The weapon you must surrender is your will. Your selfish wants, your ambitions, your determination to do everything your way—surrender your weapon. Your insistence on living to gratify your appetite for pleasure, material things, money, fame, and the applause of others—surrender your weapon.
You might be thinking, "When things get really bad, when world events seem so hopeless that the Lord's return seems imminent, then I'll make my peace with God." My friend, life is uncertain, and you may never get another chance to come to Him. Why don't you come to Him now? He is waiting for you.
Jesus made the sacrifice. All you and I have to do is say, 'I surrender, Lord, to Your love.'
My heart aches for the Muslim who works hard, maintaining all the rituals, trying to earn Allah's mercy. He has no promise of salvation, no assurance of peace. He never knows if he has done enough to earn Allah's favor. In contrast, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the story of a God who loves us, who knew we could do nothing to save ourselves, who knew that we were lost in our sin, mired in our strife. So in His grace and love, He provided the means for our atonement, offering us His own righteousness.
In His infinite mercy, God sent His Son to earth. Jesus left the glories of heaven and came to us to atone for our sin, to pay our debt, to meet our obligations, to exchange our strife for His peace. Jesus made the sacrifice. All you and I have to do is say, "I surrender, Lord, to Your love."
Then—and only then—will you receive the gift of divine peace. Only when you come to Him in gratitude and thanksgiving, accepting His sacrifice on the cross for you, will you know the peace that passes all human comprehension and understanding. Church membership won't bring you divine peace. Intellectually assenting to Christian doctrines won't bring you divine peace. Even admiring Jesus as a great prophet and teacher won't bring you divine peace.
When you surrender your life to Jesus, He gives you His divine peace. Jesus surrendered His glory in heaven so that you might live forever with Him. He has done all that to bring you His peace. All He asks is that you surrender to His love. What will your answer be?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I surrender to Your love today. Teach me how to surrender my will daily, and give me the strength to share about the peace of Christ with others. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
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