Season 1- episode 15
Beautiful Surrender: He Has My Yes
Part 4: The Lifestyle of Surrendering.
Chapter 14: Never The Less
"Moments before Jesus’ betrayal, He finds himself in a garden where He had to make a choice. Jesus lived a perfect life completely surrendered to God, walking in perfect love. Jesus’ entire life on earth was all building up to this defining moment in the garden. Jesus had a choice; He did not have to go to the cross. He could have said no. Jesus’ yes to His Father went beyond just a moment in His life; it was a constant, daily yes. In this garden Jesus asked His Father if there would be another way for this redemption and restoration to happen. He finished His question with a beautiful statement, “Never the less, not my will but yours be done.” The prayer He taught His disciples months, maybe years before this moment, He echoed once again. Jesus statement was one of surrendering. This surrendering of His will was one He had to do daily. Jesus ultimately submitted Himself to God’s will and bore the identity of the old Adam so we may live as the new one. Jesus chose to die on a tree for the sake of humanity who chose to eat from that tree. He chose this because His heart is turned toward humanity. This was and is the ultimate act of love that will be known for all of eternity. The love of the Father as expressed through Jesus Christ is unlike any other you or I could ever experience.
Jesus is the clearest model for His followers of what it looks like to live a life fully surrendered to God. When we as humans hear and receive in faith the good news of who Jesus is and what He has done for us, we are giving Jesus our first yes. This yes is less of an action and more of response to what God has done for us. We say yes because He first said yes to us. In this yes, we are made right before God, fully forgiven, past, present and future sins are removed from the memory of the great almighty God. In that moment of yes, we cannot be anymore loved or accepted by God. Our identity has been restored and we are given a new name; child of God. Everything from that moment is done from approval and not to work towards it. Religion says you have to earn and work to maintain this approval. Following Jesus is all about responding to what Jesus’ work has already earned for you. As we encounter this God who is love, and we experience His presence we cannot help but overflow this love to others.
As we have seen, this yes is something that will be stretched, refined, pruned and challenged as we grow closer to Him. However, we must never forget that the Father disciplines the one whom He loves and chastises those whom He calls children. This discipline is not one out of disappointment, but out of great love that seeks to see you and I live in the fullness of life."
Thanks for listening!
