Surrender

Surrender......I have been struck this past week, as I have read through parts of Jeremiah, with the message of surrender.  A couple of times I came across scripture that spoke of how God told the Isrealites that if they surrender themselves to their enemies they will be saved.  But, if they remained in their city they would perish.  Doesn't make sense, really.  To surrender to the enemy.  In order to be saved.  They weren't really being asked to surrender to the enemy, though.  God was asking them to trust Him and surrender themselves to Him because He was using their enemy to bring judgment on the Isrealites for their disobedience.  He was asking them to still trust Him as He administered discipline. Wow!  That is hard to do.  It is hard to surrender, to trust, to still obey when God takes me through the consequences of my disobedience.  Sometimes I want to fight Him more, I get angry at Him, I don't want to surrender.  And yet He is doing only what any loving Father will do......He allows His children to suffer the consequences of their actions, He allows us to learn the lesson He knows we need to learn in order to grow and to mature.  Sometimes, for those of us that are thick headed, it is the only way we learn!

Today, as I was reading again in Jeremiah, I came across another section of verses this morning.  God was saying, how many times!  How many times do I have to tell you and yet you do not listen!!  Where have I heard that before?  Out of my own mouth, directed at my own children, in utter frustration!  Let me preface this by saying, my God is a good God, slow to anger, merciful, patient, full of grace, and abounding in love.  However, He is also a just God and a perfect Father.  God does not ask us to be obedient so that He can be authoritative, scare us into hell, hold us under His thumb.  No, He asks us to be obedient because He loves us, He knows what is best for us, He has a perfect plan for us, He sees and understands what we can't see and what we can't understand.  With His gentle voice He asks us to follow Him to those green pastures in which He delights to give to us.  But in order to follow Him, we have to surrender.  We can't do both....follow Him and go our own way and follow our own understanding.  And when we don't choose to surrender......well He does what a perfect heavenly Father does and He allows us and gives us over to the consequences that go along with the path we have chosen for ourselves.  I believe it pains His heart to see His beloved suffer, but He also knows that to save us from the consequences would be an injustice to us.

 Just like with my children.  I see and know more than they see and know.  I know what is best for them.  I desire to give them good gifts and to watch them live a life of blessing.  However, when they disobey over and over again, the most loving thing I can do is allow them to suffer the consequences of their choices even if it is painful for me to watch and carry through on.  I don't lord myself over them just so I can feel in charge!  No, I love them and I guide them.  But when they don't accept that guidance.......

I don't know if this is making any sense, but what I feel coming through over and over as I read through Jeremiah is surrender.  Surrender Melody.  Surrender it all to me.  Trust Me.  I have got it covered.  Follow my voice and I will guide you to those green pastures.  Trust me as we may walk through rocky paths, but don't get scared and run off because you think you know a better way.   It will only lead to destruction.  Follow Me.  Surrender yourself to Me and you will find life.  You will find abundant life!  You will find rest for your soul.  Surrender.