Notice the Stream

... of countless ways in which
Our Creator constantly romances us.

I Surrender All

Abba, You are the great I AM. You are worthy of all trust. You are faithful and infinitely good, and You alone have the perspective from which truly wise decisions can be made. You are just and kind and perfect. You have never let me or anyone else down–every time it seems like You’ve made a mistake or dropped the ball, in the long run, Your way has proven to be the absolute best and most brilliant path.

I confess that I haven’t trusted You completely. I’ve kept matters in my own hands and continued to worry and strive and scheme and try to make things happen. I haven’t been completely surrendered to Your will and Your process.

Thank You for bringing this to my attention today, and for the Finding Your Calling course that seems made just for me. Thank You for this week of Thanksgiving, and that I am the wealthiest person I’ve ever met. My cup runneth over.

Please take all of me today–I Surrender All. Use me in whatever way You see fit. I only ask that when I start to get upset, Your Holy Spirit whispers (loudly, if necessary!) to my spirit to Let Go. Surrender. Let it be Okay. Trust Me. May I feel the Everlasting Arms around me, and lean in. I love you.

Amen

The Path of Service vs. the Pursuit of Success

This morning I found inspiration and challenge in the words of Pastor Steve Schell, from a sermon he delivered on Romans 12:1 (bold mine):

Paul urgently appeals to every believer who understands the mercy we have received from God, to respond by completely devoting themselves to His service. This, he says, is the only appropriate way to thank Him. We surrender our lives to Him as completely as if we had placed our bodies on an altar like an animal about to be sacrificed, only in our case we are not there to be slaughtered but rather recruited into His service (Ro 14:7: 1Co 6:19, 20; 2Co 5:15).

Our full surrender will find its expression in a series of costly choices that lead us away from something we desire toward something selfless that God wants us to do. We choose a path that to the natural mind appears to lead downward, in the wrong direction. (Henri Nouwen, The Selfless Way of Christ)

Abba, in light of this passage, please show me the downward path You’ve chosen for my life. I am so tired of trying to pursue my own dreams and wanting to be more worshipful. I will oh so gladly abandon my dreams altogether if only I know that YOU have chosen a different path for me. I willingly and joyfully place myself on the altar and will completely devote myself to Your service. I choose a path of worship before work, praise before play, devotion before dreaming, and prayer always. Only show me the way within the Way. Guide me and direct me, so that I don’t just make up my own seemingly spiritual path that actually pleases neither me nor You! I trust that You will guide me. I’m Yours. Thank You for this beautiful word.

In Jesus’ name, amen!