THE HEART OF WORSHIP

Surrendering often means being defeated, and no one wants to loose. Surrender evokes the unpleasant image of defeat in a battle, forfeiting a game, or yielding to a stronger opponent. The word is almost always used in a negative context.  We would rather talk about winning, success, over coming, and conquering than yielding submitting, obeying, and surrendering. But surrendering to God is the act of worship. It is the natural response to God’s amazing love and mercy. We give ourselves to Him not out of fear or duty, but love, because He first loved us.

            Offering yourself to God is what worship is all about. Paul said: so then, my friend, because of God’s great mercy to us….. Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his sacrifice and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer. True worship brings God pleasure; when you give yourself completely to God. Notice the first and last words of that verse are the same: Offer. There are three hindrances that stop us from surrendering totally to God: fear, pride and confusion. We don’t understand how much God loves, we want to control our own lives, and we misunderstand the meaning of surrender      

            We find it difficult to trust God, because we don’t know him better. Fear keeps us from surrendering, but love cast out all fear. The more you realize how much God loves you, the easier surrender becomes. God says He loves you, you are never out of his sight; He cares about every detail of your life; He gave you the capacity to enjoy all kinds of pleasure; He has good plans for your life; He forgives you; and He is lovingly patient with you. God loves you infinitely more than you can imagine. When we finally submit to Jesus, we would realize that He is not a tyrant, but a savior, not a boss, but a brother, not a dictator, but a friend.

            Another thing that hinders us from surrendering to God is pride. We want to have control of everything; we want to be like God; which will only make us to end like Satan. We are humans and we can never be God. The reason why many are still struggling, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven’t yet come to the end of themselves. We’re still trying to give orders, and interfering with God’s work within us. We weren’t God and never will be. We are humans. We accept our humanity intellectually not emotionally. When faced with our limitations, we react with irritation, anger and resentment. We want to be taller or shorter, smarter, stronger, more talented, more beautiful and wealthier. We want to have it all and do it all, and we become upset when it doesn’t happen. Then when we notice that God gave others characteristics we don’t have, we respond with envy, jealous, and self pity.

            Surrendering is not for cowards or doormats. Likewise, it does not mean giving up rational thinking. God would not waste the mind he gave you! God does not want robots to serve him. Surrendering is not repressing your personality. Rather than its being diminished, surrendering enhances it. C. S. Lewis observes that, the more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become because He made us. He invented all the different people that you and I were intended to be. It is when I turn to Christ, when I give up myself to His personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own. Surrendering is best demonstrated in obedience. To say yes lord, to whatever he asks of you. To say no Lord is to speak a contradiction. Surrender is best demonstrated in obedience and trust.