Scripture
'Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man#8:20 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself. has no place even to lay his head.”' Matthew 8:19-20 https://my.bible.com/bible/116/MAT.8.19-20
Observation
Jesus is teaching about the cost necessary to follow him. In this verse, the teachers of religious law are making statements without realizing the cost of what they are saying. Jesus' response about not having a place to "lay his head" made it clear (to the people of the day) that following Jesus would be very uncomfortable.
Application
This pinged me because when the cost of following Jesus is discussed, typically, phrases like "total surrender", "surrender all", "total submission", "total obedience", or "give everything to God" are used. But what does this really mean? How do I give "total submission" to God?
Billy Graham has a great message about this. Here is what Billy's message means to me.
Total surrender comes in the following areas:
Trust
Jeremiah 29:11 NLT says:
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord . “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 NLT https://my.bible.com/bible/116/JER.29.11.nlt
Do I trust? When things are going bad, do I rely on my trust of God's plans for goodness in my life? Or do I at best abandon my relationship with God or at worst blame God?
Surrender to God means trusting God's plan for goodness in my life.
Mind
Proverbs 13:20 NLT correctly teaches us that whatever we are exposed to, is how we will think and act:
Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. Proverbs 13:20 NLT https://my.bible.com/bible/116/PRO.13.20.nlt
Do I "Fix [my] thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (Philippians 4:8 NLT). Or do I fill my mind with what society pushes on me?
Surrender to God means exposing my mind to things worthy of praise.
Body
1 Corinthians 3:16 NLT says:
Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16 NLT https://my.bible.com/bible/116/1CO.3.16.nlt
Do I treat my body as a temple of the Holy Spirit as it is? Do I abuse it, using it in ways God did not intend? Do I make my body god?
Surrender to God means treating my body as a temple of the Holy Spirit.
Will
Luke 22:42 NLT says:
“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
43Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.
44He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.
What dominates your life? What drives where you put your time and effort? What drives your motives? Jesus is the ultimate example, showing the answer to these questions should be God's will.
Surrender to God means Christ drives all thoughts, motives, and actions in my life.
Surrendering to God does not mean I have to give up my life and become a monk in a monastery who spends all day praying. But it also does not mean I say "I surrender" and keeping my life exactly the same. To fully surrender to God, I must trust in God's plan for goodness in my life, whatever my life circumstances. I must fill my mind with things which are praise-worthy to God. I must treat my body as a sacred temple of the Holy Spirt. And I must have Christ behind all my thoughts, motives, and actions. Will I be able to do all these things 100% of the time. No, absolutely not. And that's why we need Jesus' saving grace.
References
Graham, B. (2015, Dec 23). A Message From Billy Graham: Total Surrender. Retrieved from https://billygraham.org/decision-magazine/january-2016/a-message-from-billy-graham-total-surrender
Prayer
'Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man#8:20 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself. has no place even to lay his head.”' Matthew 8:19-20 https://my.bible.com/bible/116/MAT.8.19-20
Observation
Jesus is teaching about the cost necessary to follow him. In this verse, the teachers of religious law are making statements without realizing the cost of what they are saying. Jesus' response about not having a place to "lay his head" made it clear (to the people of the day) that following Jesus would be very uncomfortable.
Application
This pinged me because when the cost of following Jesus is discussed, typically, phrases like "total surrender", "surrender all", "total submission", "total obedience", or "give everything to God" are used. But what does this really mean? How do I give "total submission" to God?
Billy Graham has a great message about this. Here is what Billy's message means to me.
Total surrender comes in the following areas:
- Trust
- Mind
- Body
- Will
Trust
Jeremiah 29:11 NLT says:
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord . “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 NLT https://my.bible.com/bible/116/JER.29.11.nlt
Do I trust? When things are going bad, do I rely on my trust of God's plans for goodness in my life? Or do I at best abandon my relationship with God or at worst blame God?
Surrender to God means trusting God's plan for goodness in my life.
Mind
Proverbs 13:20 NLT correctly teaches us that whatever we are exposed to, is how we will think and act:
Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. Proverbs 13:20 NLT https://my.bible.com/bible/116/PRO.13.20.nlt
Do I "Fix [my] thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (Philippians 4:8 NLT). Or do I fill my mind with what society pushes on me?
Surrender to God means exposing my mind to things worthy of praise.
Body
1 Corinthians 3:16 NLT says:
Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16 NLT https://my.bible.com/bible/116/1CO.3.16.nlt
Do I treat my body as a temple of the Holy Spirit as it is? Do I abuse it, using it in ways God did not intend? Do I make my body god?
Surrender to God means treating my body as a temple of the Holy Spirit.
Will
Luke 22:42 NLT says:
“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
43Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.
44He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.
What dominates your life? What drives where you put your time and effort? What drives your motives? Jesus is the ultimate example, showing the answer to these questions should be God's will.
Surrender to God means Christ drives all thoughts, motives, and actions in my life.
Surrendering to God does not mean I have to give up my life and become a monk in a monastery who spends all day praying. But it also does not mean I say "I surrender" and keeping my life exactly the same. To fully surrender to God, I must trust in God's plan for goodness in my life, whatever my life circumstances. I must fill my mind with things which are praise-worthy to God. I must treat my body as a sacred temple of the Holy Spirt. And I must have Christ behind all my thoughts, motives, and actions. Will I be able to do all these things 100% of the time. No, absolutely not. And that's why we need Jesus' saving grace.
References
Graham, B. (2015, Dec 23). A Message From Billy Graham: Total Surrender. Retrieved from https://billygraham.org/decision-magazine/january-2016/a-message-from-billy-graham-total-surrender
Prayer
