The Place of Surrender 3-24-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Teach me Your ways and lead me in Your paths -- the truth is I have so very far to go. Yet You are my example, my light, and my strength as I choose to follow in Your steps, by Your grace. Strengthen me for the journey each day in our time of prayer together. ... Your steps on this earth led You to a garden called Gethsemane -- the place of absolute surrender to the will of our Father. "Then He said to them, 'I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here and stay awake with Me.' And going a little farther, He threw Himself on the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not what I want but what You want" (Matthew 26.38-39). There is a cup for each of us to drink, just as there is a cross for each of us to bear. "If any want to become My followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for My sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it" (Mark 8.34-35). Blinded by their own insecurities and puffed up in their own pride, Your first disciples thought they were ready to drink of the cup, as they revealed the blind-spots in their vision of themselves. "And they said to Him, 'Grant us to sit, one at Your right hand and one at Your left, in Your glory.' But Jesus said to them, 'You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized with?" They replied, "We are able" (Mark 10.37-39). They said they were able, but they were not. They thought they had come a long way, but they had far to go. We cannot share in the glory of Your resurrection without first sharing in the crucifixion of Your death. We cannot rise up and follow You until we bow down and surrender. Show us what is our cup to drink, what is our cross to bear. Open our eyes to see the flesh that still needs to be crucified in our soul and the hardness of our pride that still needs to be humbled. Bring us each to the place where we surrender and submit to Your will and Your way. This is the place where we say with You, by Your grace, "Not my will, but Thy will, be done." In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays To subscribe/unsubscribe/reply please send a note to me at Messiah Ministries -- "preparing the way of the Lord" -- MessiahMin@aol.com Our mailing address: 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502. God bless you!