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Becoming Surrendered: Why Nothing is Better than Something

January 3, 2017

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.

CONSIDER THIS

Why is Proverbs 3:5-6 the most trinket engraved bible verse in the whole book? Why is it claimed as perhaps the most “favorited” life-text in the world?

For starters, it’s a beautiful aspiration, but that alone can’t account for its popularity. I have a theory on why.

It’s true. These twenty-nine words capture in compendium form the whole of Scripture. From Adam to the Apostles, from Eve to Elizabeth, and from Jeremiah to Jesus, every story in the book, for better or for worse, proves this Holy Spirit distilled saying. Beyond this, millions upon millions of ordinary Christians like you and me have seen it proved true in our lives.

There’s a small yet comprehensive word appearing twice in the text. I would like to bring to the fore. The word is, “all.” In v.5 we see, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart,” and in v.6 we see, “in all your ways acknowledge him.” This accounts for the gap between the magnets on our refrigerators and our Monday mornings. All means all. Until we begin to come to grips with the totalizing nature of this little word, “all,” we are destined to some variety of this uninspiring version of nominal faith. I’ll grant you—the issue is not black or white. Faith is never an all or nothing proposition. That would make it much easier; like either taking the flu shot or not. It’s not being an “all or nothing” kind of person  that gets us. It’s being an “all or something” kind of person.

Most people who lack the faith to go “all-in,” also lack the courage to get “all-out.” As a consequence, they remain stuck in a lukewarm netherland. The Christian faith is not like the Lion’s Club. It’s not volunteerism. There are no annual dues to keep one’s membership current?

May I be emphatic? The Christian faith of the Bible is all or nothing. Now, may I risk being offensive? If you push back on my emphatic “all or nothing” assertion, it’s because you lack the courage to choose. Settling for the easy out of, “At least I’m doing something,” is not biblical faith. It’s nominal Christianity. The enemy of our age is not doing nothing. It’s the mentality that says  something is enough.

To be clear, “all” doesn’t mean you’ve got it all figured out and sealed up. “All” is not measured by perfect attendance, good behavior or charitable giving. My “all” cannot be measured by your assessment. Only God can know because it’s about the two all consuming intangible dispositions of our inmost self: trust and submission, or surrendered-ness. This must be resolved at the subterranean level of one’s will—far beneath the ephemeral nature of emotion.

The greatest gift we can give to one another is to become graciously, yet brutally, honest with ourselves. Resolve this today. Abandon yourself to God in trust and submission.

THE PRAYER

Abba Father, save me from the easy seduction of settling for something. Deliver me from the muddle of mediocrity all around me and the subtle ways I sit in judgment of it. Awaken me to the awareness that an authentic “nothing” is better to you than a vague something. Come Holy Spirit and grant me the courage of Jesus to go all in. I surrender my will to you. I trust in you. Thank you for going all in for me. In Jesus name, Amen.

THE QUESTIONS

1. How might we cease judging the faith of others and truly come to grips with the nominal nature of our own faith?

2. Would you consider surrendering the totality of your will to Jesus Christ? What keeps you from this?

3. What do you think would happen if you ceased being a “something” person and became an “all” person? What does Scripture say would happen?

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J.D. Walt, is a Bond Slave of the Lord Jesus Christ. jd.walt@seedbed.com.

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WHAT IS THIS? Wake-Up Call is a daily encouragement to shake off the slumber of our busy lives and turn our eyes toward Jesus. Each morning our community gathers around a Scripture, a reflection, a prayer, and a few short questions, inviting us to reorient our lives around the love of Jesus that transforms our hearts, homes, churches, and cities.

Comments and Discussion

3 Responses

  1. I am so excited to have discovered your Daily Text devotionals. I am finishing your advent devotional for the second season in a row, and was feeling lost in regard to where to go next in my personal devotions.

    By the way, “Not Yet Christmas” has been a very meaningful part of Advent for me the last two years. I’m thinking of buying it for everybody on my list next year.

    Blessings,

    Susie Gray

  2. I’m really excited to have discovered your Daily Text devotionals. I’m just finishing “Not Yet Christmas ” and have been feeling at a loss for where to go next in my personal devotions. I loved “Not Yet Christmas ” and would like to get it for everyone on my list next year. It has helped make the Advent season very meaningful for me for the last two years.

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