Luke 22:42   Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me;  yet, not my will but yours be done. 

Matthew 6:9   “This, then, is how you should pray:  “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.  

The concept of surrendering is usually seen as a negative action.  But, if you are learning anything about God’s Kingdom you come to realize that it is an upside-down kingdom.  The world’s usual way of approaching things is counter-intuitive to following Jesus.  As evidenced in the scriptures above Jesus was teaching us to lay down our will and follow Him.  He, himself, in His last hours before the crucifixion was found praying for strength to do God’s will and not his own.

This is no doubt a frightening idea.  What would the Lord ask us to do if we actually were to lay our plans down and follow Him?  Well, I can share two very specific times in my life that I have surrendered my will to the Lord’s.  When my oldest son turned four, I began to think about school choices.  I came under intense conviction that homeschooling would be the best option for our family.   Private Christian school was not going to be an option due to finances.  I looked into it along with a friend that was considering homeschooling too. I was overwhelmed by the ramifications of this decision.   So, my own stubborn will kicked in and I decided to do things my way.  I signed my four year old up for his Kindergarten classes.  I went to the Open House for new parents and I that’s when I  knew without a doubt that this was not the Lord’s will for my son or me. I withdrew my son the next day and started learning everything I could about how to home school.

It was an incredibly long adventure as I home schooled for the next 13 years.  Was it easy, no, was it worth it?  YES!!  One the best decisions I’ve made in my life was to lay down my own plans for the future and follow Jesus down a home school path.  My children are so strong, independent and healthy.  And, I was able to teach them about the Savior and His love for us every day.

Another instance is when I started this blog.  My pastor had been teaching another one of his wonderful series.  I kept hearing that we should spend some time meditating and praying about what God wanted us to do with our lives.  As the months went by, I began to hear the Lord calling me to find a platform to share my experiences with a panic disorder,  parenting, homeschooling and then my later life career.  This was very scary, as I am basically a shy person, and definitely not trained in writing or how to use blogging platforms.

But, the Holy Spirit was persisting in this new course for my life.  I could sense him continually bringing me back to this idea that I should be sharing my experiences with my Christian sisters and brothers.  One day during a pause in the Sunday service, the pastor requested the congregation to quietly ask the Lord what was His will and what are we supposed to do next.  At that moment,  I humbly surrendered to His leading, and I began my preparations to begin this blog:  A Sparrow Song.  Time will reveal if I am successful or I fail, but either way, I am here posting another article today, and I have peace in my heart that I am following Jesus.

Take time to listen to your heart.  I believe we are hearing a quiet, still voice more than we admit.  Raise your white flag and surrender to the Holy Spirit.  He has a plan for you to touch other people and to be salt and light in this darkening world.  I promise you will be on a great adventure, and you will not be alone!  For He has promised to be with us, even to the end of the age.

Lord, allow us to sweetly surrender to you.  Help us lay down our will, and seek your perfect will for our lives.  Then guide and empower us by your Holy Spirit to follow!

Suggested Song:   Chris Tomlin:   At the Cross (Love Ran Red)    O Come to the Altar, Elevation Worship (Live)