Surrendering

We recently celebrated our Scottish Heritage in worship, complete with bagpipes and drums. This reminded me of traveling to Scotland two summers ago… worshiping in Saint Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. That church will celebrate their 900th anniversary next year. 900 years!

As I sat in that ancient sanctuary on that Pentecost Sunday, and the choir began to sing, I thought about generation after generation after generation – worshiping in that same place. And, I thought about the deep well of resources that our faith offers. Far beyond Scotland, people have gathered at churches all over the world for nearly 2,000 years – coming to drink deep of the living water Christ offers… coming to offer their hearts and lives to him.

Back at the beginning of the year, I asked my congregation why they come to church. There were any number of reasons: We come to give glory to God. We come seeking healing. We come seeking guidance. We come seeking wholeness, meaning, and community.

And we find, that what Jesus asks of us – is to trust, to surrender, and to give our hearts back to him. And then, in that trust, in that surrender, in that giving, there is a deepening… and there are the seeds of healing and wholeness.

I wonder if there are areas of your life in which Jesus is asking you to trust… or surrender. I wonder if there is something you need to let go of, or something he is calling you to give. This week, I invite you to commit these questions to prayer. Ask him to speak into your life. Offer your hearts and lives, and drink deep of the living water.

Let us pray: Open our hearts to trust you, O God, and to surrender. Even in our own need, especially in our own need, help us find ways to give and to serve; in Jesus’ name. Amen.