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February 2, 2009 - I Surrender All

" Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

People often ask me “How is your ministry doing given this economy”?  During our twenty-eight years of serving Jesus we have been through three economic down-turns.  It is interesting to note that while giving to the ministry is down, the opportunities to provide ministry are outstanding.

Men who normally see themselves as bullet-proof to financial issues because they see themselves as good managers, providers, and problem-solvers are often humbled during these challenging times.  Even with their superior education, skills, experience, and wisdom they are now forced to “bend a knee” to the One who is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and the Great I AM. 

During these tough times, men are realizing that, in reality, they have little control over their destiny.  They see the need to surrender their circumstances to God Almighty and let Him direct their paths, their decisions, and their attitudes.  The problems of today have opened the hearts of many men who previously were apathetic when it comes to spiritual matters.

The word SURRENDER has different meanings to people and comes to mind when thinking about the issues currently facing so many families.  Surrender can be used as both a verb and noun. Webster defines it thus:

Verb:  to give up completely or agree to forgo esp. in favor of another, to give (oneself)
up into the power of another : yield syn see relinquish
Noun: the action of yielding one’s person or giving up the possession of something esp. into the power of another

Tired of trying to figure this crazy world out on your own?  Read this story and think about the importance of SURRENDER.

Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked him.” Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up!  A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away! "The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured.  Everything was tied down.

Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.


 
When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm.

We secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God. We don't need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the middle of storms.

I hope you enjoy your day and you sleep well.