When We Lay Down Our Kingdom

Scripture:

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14)

Reading:

What comes to mind when you hear the word surrender? Perhaps a fluttering white flag? A fairy tale knight laying down his sword or a conquered army? But what if surrendering to God is not about defeat.

Through Christ, God has already rescued those who belong to Him from the domain of darkness and brought them into the Kingdom of His beloved Son. Surrender, then, is not how we earn our place in His Kingdom. It is our response to the King who has already rescued us. We yield to the will of God, surrendering everything in our domain to Him (Matthew 28:18).

When I think of surrender in Scripture, Mary, the mother of Jesus, comes to my mind. “His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’” (John 2:5)

The servants didn’t know what Jesus was about to do. They simply obeyed, filling jars with water, faithful to His direction. And as a result, their obedience positioned them to witness Him turn the water into wine (John 2:7-9). This is an incredible picture of what can come about when we surrender to Christ’s authority. Our surrender allows us to participate in the revealing His glory and the advancement of His Kingdom.

God may work through surrender in ordinary and extraordinary ways. Sometimes I notice it in the simplest of things. Time with my loved ones becomes more focused and enjoyable, or, for instance, revealing God’s truth through science to my students comes more naturally. At other times, I see Him at work in ways that are far beyond the ordinary.

Once, as part of a mission team, we witnessed a clinically dead woman brought back to life amid a tremendous outpouring of prayer. People did what they could, including chest compressions, but there was no medical equipment or mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. What a reminder that the authority of Christ extends far beyond what we can see or accomplish in our own strength.

From the simple to the miraculous, both remind me that a surrendered life is one that glorifies God and advances His Kingdom. You, too, have your own stories - moments when you have yielded yourself and your kingdom to His. They are worth remembering, not only as reminders of God’s faithfulness but as invitations to surrender again.

Surrender to God is no white flag of defeat. It is Christ’s gleaming robe of righteousness covering you. In laying down your weapons of resistance, you are equipped with the sword of the Spirit to serve Him. You can do this living with the confidence that you are never outside His sovereign care. Surrendering to God’s all-powerful, holy love means welcoming His Kingdom to come, His will to be done. (Isaiah 61:10, Ephesians 6:17, Romans 8:38-39, Matthew 6:10)

Your Turn:

1. Surrender leads you to “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” (Psalm37:5) Surrender because He is good, loving, holy, and worthy of our trust. It is your willing response to the Lord’s love, mercy, and rescue. Take a moment and respond to the Lord in your own words.

2. Is there an area of your life where you find yourself holding tightly to your own plans or preferences for control rather than yielding to Jesus? What would it look like to bring that area under the loving authority of Christ? ‘Do whatever he tells you.’” (John 2:5)

Prayer:

Dear God, thank You so much for adopting me into Your family and transferring me into Your Son’s Kingdom of light. Holy Spirit, please help me to understand what You are saying to me. I ask for Your grace to surrender all that I am and all that I have to You. Amen.