I GIVE UP

Neither yield ye your members
as instruments of unrighteousness
unto sin: but yield yourselves
unto God, as those that are alive
from the dead, and your members
as instruments of righteousness
unto God.
Romans 6:13

When in early grade school, we neighborhood kids loved playing cowboys and indians. For us, it was the wild west. We had our ropes for lasso's and anything resembling a six-shooter. If fortunate, one might get a cowboy hat or even boots for Christmas. We really didn't need all the trimmings as we trotted along as if on a horse in and out of yards and sidewalks.When a little older, but still in grade school, I was allowed to go to t

he State Movie Theater on Saturday afternoons to see usually two cowboy movies. I came to know all those guys...Lash La Rue, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Lone Ranger, Gabby Hayes, Cisco Kid, Hopalong Cassidy and who knows who else. The movies were harmless. Back then, if someone got shot, it was in the arm. Eventually there were some movies involving cowboys and indians and their skirmishes. 

Often, movies had to do with two factions warring against each other. It was during these themes I learned what a white flag meant when it was obvious that one side had completely lost their battle. Usually a couple of “losers” would ride their horses toward the enemy with one of the men holding up a white flag. That's what it was called. It may have been made from most anything, but that was the surrender signal. At that point, all fighting ceased and the losing side yielded to the winners no matter the conditions of the surrender. Sometimes, a defeated person yielded to the winner with hands up and the phrase, “I give up...don't shoot.”

You and I are in a real battle, individually speaking. Such affects our families, churches and even nation. However, our battle is usually one on one with Satan. We don't like to admit that at times in our weakness, Satan seems to win in our skirmishes. What bothers me is to think of the times we have all but waved a white flag in Satan's presence, yielding to his will in a particular fray. Even though we have the power of the God of universe ready to empower us, we still at times give in to the wiles of Satan. I wonder how many white flags Satan has figuratively received from me when I was too weak to stay in the battle.

Perhaps one of the reasons for it all is that we don't think to wave the white flag of surrender to God Himself. Such teams us up with the “good side” and with our perfect Heavenly Father. A white flag we wave before our Father is saying, “I give up...I want to live on Your terms...I don't want to fight whatever Your will is for my life.” With that, our Father accepts our yieldedness with no discussion. The terms of such a surrender are written in His Word. Where some human treaties may fail, no surrender to God is temporary or even fragile from His standpoint.

We have often sung a hymn in church entitled I Surrender All. How many times have we sung the words without the genuine giving of ourselves to our Father. I recall the first verse of that song saying:

All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give.
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

As far as God is concerned, those words sincerely sung or spoken is better than any white flag of surrender we could present. He's not looking for a white flag...He desires a loving and yielded spirit on our part, freely given.

Father, forgive the times I have sinned, given Satan a victory without even seeking You and Your strengthening. Thank You for Your patience, forgiveness and love. I want to always be in the very center of Your will for my life. I want to give up only to You. In the precious name of Jesus...Amen