I recently had the opportunity to meet with some area pastors and churches and discuss the difference between commitment and surrender. There was one particular observation that I made that I have continued to ponder. It was a generational one, for whatever reason I have a great appreciation for the strengths of different generations. There is also a lot to learn from generational weaknesses too. I have often said at funerals of our 80+ saints that we are quickly losing the greatest generation.
My observation this week came from comments from baby boomers. They remarked, “We always used to hear preaching on surrender or dying to self, now all we hear is commitment.” A keen observation from dear people who have watched western Christianize slide down the slippery slope from “what would you have me to do surrender” to “Let me tell you the area I am ready to commit to commitment.”
These baby boomers nailed it, although it wasn’t the first time I’d heard this. Over four years ago a former pastor and prisoner in Communist Romania was sitting in my kitchen. We were discussing the difference from being a Christian in Europe and one in the U.S. He shared a conversation he had with the late Adrian Rodgers one day as he visited him in Memphis. He relayed what transpired as they discussed the western concept of following Christ. He said, “Adrian, the key word for the American Christian is “commitment”; while “surrender” has been removed from your vocabulary.” Because this was coming from a man both imprisoned for his faith and having authored a 500 page book on suffering and martyrdom, I listened a little more intently. He continued to explain that commitment is cheap, it costs little, but it allows something the Western world craves: control. Surrender relinquishes control and surrenders to be a slave to our Lord and King.
Think about it: were our examples in scripture people who made commitments in areas or were they examples of the surrendered whole?
· Noah – he didn’t just commit to slamming a hammer for a few hours a day – how about 100 years of labor, sweat, ridicule, and perseverance. And yet we find “work day at church” an oxymoron today.
· Abraham – did He commit to a cool vacation with God to get away from family for a while, hardly. He surrendered: he trusted when he had very little explanation, no specifics: just a Sovereign God making unusual promises that would eventually extend to every family of the earth.
· Moses – was it commitment that led him to take off his sandals on the holy ground as he washed a bush burn but still demonstrated life and strength rather than death and destruction. We certainly see Moses struggle some with surrender: he tried to talk god out him being the one to deliver God’s people. Commitment has trouble trusting anything but your own perspective; surrender is total trust in God’s path for us.
· Isaiah – “Here I am Lord, send me”. You know that just doesn’t translate today into, “If you need me, give me a call” or “God knows where to find me, if there’s anything he wants me for.”
· 3 Hebrew guys – “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Today commitment says, “I’ll follow as long as you bless me in every area and in every way; one sign of tough stuff and I’m done.”
· Paul – “Lord what will thou have me to do” – now that’s surrender. I’m willing, I’m available, and there is nothing off the table. I am surrendering to be your slave.
More to come…
