The call to surrender is a call to rest

You may have heard the expression that less is more. In our walk with GOD, think of it as we must decrease that GOD might increase. The challenge with the church and people at large has not been that we have not done enough or not tried hard enough, the challenge is understanding the “what” and “when” of doing and understanding that the “doing” is not done in our own strength. Christ did not come calling people to do more and to try harder, He came offering their weary souls rest.

²⁸ “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

This gospel is counterintuitive. We think we will accomplish less by letting go and resting in GOD, but the truth is that it is in resting in GOD where we learn to rely on Him instead of ourselves. Thus, there is where we learn to hear from Him, and learn to yield to His will, and learn to flow in His power.  Look at biblical record, you see GOD telling His children, “you have to many soldiers,” “stop counting your resources,” “tell people to sit down and bring me the little fish and loaves that you have,” “trust in me and don’t lean to your own understanding,” “don’t eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil for in that day you will die.” People have been dying in doing ever since.

Look at what He told the Pharisees:

¹⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” (Matthew 23:15)

The Pharisees problem wasn’t that they were not doing enough, as you can see, they were going to great lengths to win souls. The problem is that they were not doing it from a place of surrender to GOD. Surrender to GOD means it gets done the way He says, and when He says, and there is where man stumbles. Most people have not spent enough time resting in GOD to understand His ways or getting to know how faithful He is in order to know how to wait on Him. The problems we see aren’t the result of not doing enough, they are from ignorantly doing the wrong things. The next time you go out driving look at how many ministries and church buildings you pass. They are ineffective because they have not surrendered everything at the cross of Christ: success, validation, rejection, hurts, unforgiveness, fears, desires, needs, etc.

I am not talking about burying talents, but Christ told His disciples to tarry (rest) until you have received power from on high. The word of GOD says, “Be strong in the power of His might.” You can’t lead someone to freedom when you are bound yourself. You can’t teach someone about resurrection life until you have died on the cross yourself.

³ Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you. ⁴ For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.

⁵ Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?… unless indeed you are disqualified. ⁶ But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified. (2 Corinthians 13:3-6)

YAHWEH provided a rest for the children of Israel away from Egypt in the land of Canaan. Unfortunately, this rest was forfeited by hundreds of thousands of Israelites. They didn’t reach the promise land because they mishandled the journey, which was a beautiful opportunity designed by GOD to establish a habit of communing with Him toward living in His rest. Examine yourself to make sure you have surrendered all to GOD. You will know if you have, because your soul, will be in restful, peace. Selah.