"I Surrender All" is probably one of my favorite hymns.
Mainly because it is one of the hardest for my heart to sing.
The times that I have been able to sing such a song with complete surrender, have been times of full worship. Times where the Holy Spirit is so evident in my small space that it is almost tangible.
Maybe it is because I am so strong willed.
Opinionated.
Full of myself.
Maybe it is because I am, at the end of the day, a control freak.
I don't know. But I do know that when I can stop, take moment, let God do what God does, and just get out of the way. He loves better than I do, He leads better than I do, He knows more than me, He sees further than me, He sees injustice better than me, He is a better parent than me,
He wrote the book on Marriage,
He is so much more than I am and am not.
David Crowder has a newer song out right now called "I am". I am careful to not get to deep in the theology of this song because I have a feeling I wouldn't like it anymore. But I don't want to chase that rabbit ...
One day I heard the song and I had a light bulb moment about all of the things I am NOT and HE is. I just picture a prayer time where I am sitting crying out to God about how I am not a good mom, wife, pastor's wife, teacher, etc. And God just counters everything I cry with "I KNOW you aren't. But I AM."
Which brings me back to my original point. I surrender all, because You Jesus and Your ways are so much better than mine.
I Surrender All
All to Jesus, I surrender; All to Him I freely give;I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live.
I surrender all, I surrender all,All to Thee, my bless'd Savior,I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender; Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken; Take me, Jesus, take me now.
I surrender all, I surrender all,All to Thee, my bless'd Savior,I surrender all.
All to Jesus, I surrender;Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,Truly know that Thou art mine.
I surrender all, I surrender all,All to Thee, my bless'd Savior,I surrender all.
All to Jesus, I surrender; Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power; Let Thy blessing fall on me.
I surrender all, I surrender all,All to Thee, my bless'd Savior,I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender; Now I feel the sacred flame.
O the joy of full salvation!
The last line of this song truly speaks of the feeling when we completely surrender.
As a gentle...ok not so gentle.....ok actually VERY painful, reminder of my constant struggle to surrender fully. I got this a little over a month ago.
One of the greatest things about Surrendering to the One True God is that it is our choice. But once done....the freedom and peace is something uncomparable.
~LL
