Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Luke 23:46

According to Luke, these are the last words spoken by Jesus right before He breathed His last breath on the cross.  What beautiful words to leave us with and what a humble picture of Jesus’ life on earth; He lived the ultimate example of a life surrendered to God’s will and not His own.  This, of course, was His purpose…but isn’t it ours too?

Surrender: to cease resistance and submit to authority, give up, hand over, abandon oneself entirely, give in to, yield, to agree to stop fighting, hiding, resisting; to give the control to someone else; to allow something to influence or control you

When we surrender to God, we ultimately are saying, “Yes, Lord, I TRUST YOU.”  The true Christian life is lived most full when it is lived surrendered, when it’s lived trusting in Him and His plan for our lives.  This doesn’t mean it will be easy, in fact, it pretty much means it will be hard.  Through circumstances He will continually be asking us if we trust Him.  Do you trust Me?  Do you love Me?  Do you know that I LOVE YOU and can help you live this life free and full of grace, forgiveness and wholeness?

God’s intent for us is to not only to love Him but to trust Him.  There’s the kicker- that trust word.  Sometimes we have an easier time trusting our own ways or friend’s ways than the ways of the Bottom Line (HIS way), and that requires surrendering our spirit into His hands.

So picture yourself, your spirit, your body, your will, your soul and mind in His hands…it’s comforting isn’t it?  There’s not a safer place to live than in His hands.  Fully committed, surrendered, yielding to the work He has for us here, the plan He has laid out specifically just for each one of us.  What an honor to be chosen by God to fulfill His purposes and further His kingdom.  But how often we miss it…let’s not miss it any longer.  Let’s commit our spirits, our wills, and our lives to the ONE who died for us. He will guide and direct us.  He will lead and comfort us.  He will if we will let Him.

The mark of our salvation for those who trust and believe was His blood shed on a wooden cross, the mark of our sanctification and growth is the continual release of entrusting our spirit to Him.  Surrendering, yielding, trusting and believing.  Daily, hourly, momently.

Oh I feel the struggle, though, do you?  Yielding to His will isn’t always the easiest road.  Our flesh often tells us differently, and the norms of society certainly goes against how the Bible instructs us to live.  BUT, our surrender to Him is for our benefit and His glory; our gain, not our loss.  He is in it for US!  Let’s trust Him today and commit our spirits into His mighty, faithful and loving hands.  They are big enough for all of us, thank you, Jesus!

Every day, surrender.  His will, not ours.

Every day, trust, for He is oh so faithful to provide everything we need if we will only commit ourselves to Him.

Father, into your hands, we commit our spirits.  Amen.

Now go.  Go in faith and live like never before.