Beautiful, graceful woman in a stretching pose? Check.
Soft, backlit colors engulfing her? Check.
Flowing gossamer dress, lilting in the atmosphere? Check.
Free, serene, blissful expression on her face? Check.
Any resemblance to me, whatsoever when it comes to the surrender to life concept?
Errrr… not so much…
I look more like this:
One of the things I’ve been thinking a lot about lately has been the Gethsemane moment. In Mark 14, we see how Jesus spent one long agonizing night before His crucifixion, being tested in His commitment to finish His purpose.
Who knows exactly to what extent He was privy to the details, but the fear is almost always so much worse, isn’t it?
Yes, it was a battle of the will; which will would win out?
Would He choose His higher purpose, filled with pain and suffering? Or, would He opt out and get the heck out of that garden, choosing to live His life on His own terms?
He could have done that, you know.
Who knows how many times He went back and forth in His Mind, weighing the options?
“Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. ‘Abba Father,’ he said, ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me…’”
Mark 14:35-36
And then, He finally decided…
“…‘Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Mark 14:36
Whew! I don’t know if I could make that same decision. After all, I was the pulling my hair out surrender girl, not the serenity surrender girl.
Our will…Tricky, isn’t it?
As we approach Resurrection Sunday, I think it’s worth the time to take a hard look at our own wills and the decisions we’ve made based upon them. Perhaps our messes are directly linked to us flipping out, squirming or running away from God’s Will.
Perhaps you and I need to pray, not only, “Not my will, but Thy Will be done,” but also, “Lord, heal my will.”
What’s your Gethsemane now? What will are we choosing in response to it? It sounds scary and impossible, but facing its reality, warty will and all, before God, we have safety- and help.
And, looking at my own base reaction to surrender, I don’t know about you, but I sure could use that help!
In between the Resurrection Sunday services, celebrations and candy, let’s remember and lift up that Gethsemane moment will to God. And let’s just focus a little more on a hope attached to going the way of God’s Will…
“Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:10
Yep, whether or not we want to admit it, God’s heaven kingdom is a lot closer to going His way than ours. So, let’s try to inch a little more to God’s Will, given up on our stubborn ways!
But by bit, decision by decision, moment by moment… Let’s not forget: the other side of God’s will IS that Glory!
Something to remember, in my hair pulling moments of surrender.
Nope. I’m not that blissful surrender girl as I could be with my will. But, I’m in process, flowing gown or not!
“...from glory to glory…”
2 Corinthians 3:18
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