Surrender: A devotional on desperation, humility, and giving over

 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." — 1 Peter 1:3-5 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, To merely describe what God the Father has done for us isn't enough. We must praise Him! He has lavished so much mercy upon us, not giving us what we deserve, but instead giving us a new birth into a living hope through Your resurrection from the dead. We were lost in decrepit death into dying despair but through God's mercy He saved us into a new birth into a living hope! And what we now possess is an inheritance that will never wither like a flower or be snuffed out like a candle. It is an inheritance...

"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance." — 1 Peter 1:1-2 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, All I've read so far in this letter from the Apostle Peter is his greeting. Yet, there is so much truth about who we are as believers in you today. Like the recipients of his letter, we too are your elect, exiles scattered. We are temporary residents in a foreign land, sojourners and travelers, who live in constant awareness of our true home, Heaven. As God's elect, I have been chosen by God for His particular and unique time, place, and purpose with His foreknowledge—not randomly placed here, but with God's prior knowledge, His omniscience, knowing m...

 "Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." — 1 Peter 5:2-4 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, As a shepherd of God's flock, this passage is very specific direction to me. But for anyone with a pastoral calling, anyone who is an elder within their church community, or anyone with the Ephesians 4:11-12 gift of shepherding, this applies to their life as well. There is a portion of God's flock that is under my care and God has entrusted them to me. Their lives, souls, callings, discipleship, and so much more, has been given to me to steward, to lead, and to pastor. I am to do that with a watchful eye, being aware of the flock, knowing h...

 “ Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”  – 1 Peter 4:12-13 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, Most of the time when adversity, hardship, and trials come upon me, I initially feel shock, betrayal, and rejection. I think, “Why is this happening to me? This shouldn’t be happening.” Why am I surprised? Why do I think this is a strange occurrence? These trials are meant to test me, the way steel is tested for strength and hardness. Tensile tests determine steel’s ability to withstand pulling forces before breaking. Hardness tests assess steel’s resistance to indentation. A fiery ordeal coming upon me is testing my ability to withstand breaking and indentation. Additionally, steel is hardened by fiery trial. It is heated to 1600 degrees Fahrenheit, ...

 “Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.” — 1 Peter 1:13 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, Today I ask for your grace to keep my mind alert and fully sober. When my mind is consumed by worry, I’m not alert to what you are doing around me. When my mind is distracted and somewhere else, I’m not fully sober and aware of my situation. With a mind that is alert and fully sober, I’m prepared for action and ready for whatever opportunity you present to me. Today I choose to set my hope in one particular and very specific location, as if building a home’s foundation on solid bedrock. That bedrock for my hope is the grace brought to me when you, Lord Jesus, are revealed at your coming. Grace is your unmerited favor. When you are revealed to this earth, it will only be by your grace that any human will be able to stand before you. When the clouds part and you appear in your r...

 “In all this you greatly rejoice, though for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” — 1 Peter 1:6-7 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, No one really likes trials. The hardships, adversity, and spiritual warfare we go through aren’t enjoyable experiences. But the end result of these trials produces something to rejoice over: praise, glory, and honor when you, Lord Jesus, are revealed. These trials of all kinds that cause me to suffer grief really are only for a little while. In view of eternity, these are light and momentary trials that will fade like dark shadows amidst the sunrise. A thousand years from now, ten thousand years from now, I won’t remember the pain I endured but I will be living eternally with the character produced. These tri...

 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," — 1 Peter 1:3 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, Hope that is alive is hope that is placed squarely upon the resurrection. That is the definition of hope! Hope isn't merely wishing for a preferred future. Hope is bedrock belief that what once was dead is now alive. Jesus Christ who once was dead is now alive! My spirit which once was dead is now alive! Situations and circumstances that now appear as dead, God can make alive! In God's great mercy, I have been given a new birth. I once was spiritually dead, but God found me, delivered me from death through Jesus Christ and has given me a living hope. When my hope begins to wane, I must relocate my hope into the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because in you, Lord Jesus, I have hope that is living! Without the resurrection, there is no ...

 "Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet." — Romans 16:19-20 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, May these words be said of me, "Everyone has heard about your obedience." Of all the things I could be known for, I pray I am known for my obedience to you. And may my obedience bring rejoicing to you and to others. In addition to my obedience, I pray that I am wise about what is good. The wisdom I hold is your wisdom. Wisdom that exceeds earthly wisdom and is in fact so far beyond it that it appears foolish to human understanding. I pray that I am innocent about what is evil. Some people specialize in understanding evil. They know all about evil things and celebrate them. I don't need to know all the evil going on around me and, frankly, I don't want to know. It is actually okay for me to lac...

 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. — Romans 15:13 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, Life, the enemy, and soul fatigue tend to steal these three things with great frequency: hope, joy, and peace. But I serve a God who is the God of hope and He has the power and the desire to fill me with all joy and peace as I trust in Him. "As you trust in him..."  That's the kicker. The hope, joy, and peace doesn't come so that  I trust in Him. Hope, joy, and peace come as I trust  in Him. They are a consequence and an outcome of placing my trust in a God I cannot see whose ways I do not understand but whose heart is absolutely for me. By choosing to trust my God, the God of hope, I can expect joy and peace to result. The intended effect of being filled with all joy and peace is so that I might overflow with hope. So much hope will be in me that I won't be able to ...

 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. — Romans 15:5-6 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, I thank you Lord that you are the God who gives endurance and encouragement! When I am tired and my soul is heavy, I can come to you expectantly. I need your endurance to continue running my race marked out for me. I need to hear your voice call my name urging me onward and reminding me that you are with me. Lord, I choose to exchange my attitude today for your attitude. Everything that describes and encompasses your attitude is what I need today—faithful, gentle, kind, patient, loving. I choose to put on Christ today and clothe myself with your attitude. May I have your attitude and mind toward others today? May I consider others above myself. Approach others with your lovingkindness. Care for others w...

 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. — Romans 13:11-12 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, Your return is nearer now than it has ever been. I believe that. Some choose to live without that belief and one day they will awaken to that reality when you come in your glory. I want to understand the present time in which I live. Like the tribe of Issachar, I want to be a man "who understands the times and knew what Israel should do" (1 Chronicles 12:32). On this 249th anniversary of our nation's birth, give me awareness and understanding of our present hour for our nation and our world that I may wake up from my own slumber. Our salvation—your final rescue—really is nearer now than when we first believed. The long...

 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. — Romans 12:1 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, The preceding 11 chapters of Paul's letter to the Romans is full of the amazing mercies God has given us. Awash in these mercies, we are urged to completely surrender the totality of our lives as if we were an animal offering placed on God's altar for sacrifice. All of us—my body, my life, my will—is to be a living sacrifice to you, Lord. But the problem with a living sacrifice is that they frequently crawl off the altar! Offering my body as a living sacrifice means that I recognize I get only one body in this lifetime. If I am giving it to the Lord, then I need to steward it well. If I don't take care of my body, I'm offering a blemished sacrifice. Offering my life as a living sacrifice means that all of me belongs to you—every waking mom...

 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. — Romans 11:36 Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King, God is the source, the supply, and the goal. All things are from Him. Everything that is, is sourced in the Eternal God. Nothing that has come to be has done so apart from God. You, O Lord, are the divine source of all that is wise and good. You initiate everything. God is the supply. All things are through God. Everything in this created universe is immersed in your presence. If you were to withdraw your presence, the universe would cease in an instant. It is through you that this world continues to move. You sustain it all. God is the goal. All things are for God. Everything in this universe was created for your pleasure and purpose. The destiny and goal of all creation is to be immersed in your presence and glorify you forever. All that exists is headed toward an eternal future immersed in your glory. You are the One who fulfills...