Surrendering All this Christmas

Today I was reading a devotion about surrendering, and what it meant for Mary to surrender to God's assignment for her life. She was going to be the mother of Jesus, and have to face the shame of a premarital pregnancy to a people that would not understand that the one she carried was of a virgin birth conceived by God. Her response was found in Luke 1:38.... "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." What a beautiful response! To say Lord i am your servant, let you will be done according to your word!

I was in a deep conversation the other day with a friend and discovered that the idea of "surrender" does not make sense to some. We talked about how, each person on our own apart from God is selfish. I shared that it takes surrendering yourself to follow God. Once you truly give your heart to God, you can't help but to change your life as you learn more. God's love and grace compels us to change and become more like Him. All of us who call ourselves Christians have to learn to deny ourselves and surrender each day. It is not like once i surrender to Jesus that i am finished, but the Lord continues to teach us how to trust him.

I find that when i am vulnerable, i must not give in to fear, but look to Jesus as the author and perfecter of my faith. He has a perfect love for me, which casts out all fear! He is the source and His Spirit living in me teaches me to lay down my life daily, and see His plans go before me. This Christmas may we all look to Mary's example and surrender our will, to be in His perfect and pleasing will!