Is Surrender Sweet?

For some years before I met the Lord, I was afraid of 'surrendering my life' to Jesus. It felt as if I would lose something, I would no longer 'be myself'. This was a lie, a myth in my head. I think there was a mournful edge to songs about surrender then, that made it seem like a death, not an entry into true life that it was really.

When I finally did, at age 30, it was totally life-giving! I came alive to God, to the Word, to the Spirit, to Jesus as a real person. I 'kicked myself', so to speak, for resisting it for so long. Clearly we were created to live as 'His', to live as vessels filled with his life, as those in partnership with him. No-one said it like that. It was described in negative terms, not positive.

I am delighted, as I explore further the Father's love, to hear over and over again, "We are created to receive love, and give it away." Anything less is not living out our potential, our whole reason for living. Surrender to love, surrender to life is so sweet, so restful, such a relief from 'trying hard' to be something we cannot on our own. It is the place of rest that Jesus promises. His yoke is restful and life-giving. It sounds an oxymoron, but it is not. We were not created to live any other way.

Living in this sweet surrender is like a duck taking to water for the first time - Or a young fledgeling taking to the air, or a caterpillar emerging from the crysallis ready to fly - or a hot air balloon rising to the sky. Let us get the right picture in our minds and an expectation in our hearts, and throw off the myths, the life-sucking lies, and get flying!

Praying his prayers

Last Sunday I heard a prayer that declared what God had for us, not asked if he would do these things. It was a faith prayer - born out of a word or vision planted in the heart of the woman praying. "Lord you will.... Thank you!"
Ahhhh but... you may say. How can we know the will of God that precisely? A good question. This is the work of the Spirit. He quickens our hearts in prayer, or even just in daily life, while reading Scripture or hearing a story. It is like something grabs your guts (inner being!) and squeezes and everything within you says "Yes!" Like when Mary greeted Elizabeth and the child 'leapt in her womb'. Our spirit is hearing His Spirit and leaps for joy.

I have also heard a woman pray with fervour, energy and zeal and when she has finished say "I am SO excited at what God is doing!" and others look at her blankly!
She has been quickened by the Spirit with a longing, a burden... as if the Lord has said "Here, pray this for a while, because that is what I want to do, and I need someone to bring it to birth."

Of such prayers, of faith and birthing, do things happen in the Kingdom. This is his way. And we can be part of it. It requires us getting our eyes up - off our selves and our struggles - and recognising he is sovereign and he is at work - and he births new things through willing hearts who will be open to his enlivening voice.
More Lord... we need these kind of prayers. They are the pumping of your heart beat for us. Keep us expectant.