Surrender is an act of defiance

I tend to be allergic to the word “surrender.” I don’t think I’ve ever joined in singing that old hymn “I Surrender All.” It’s my own hang-up–whatever–but I’ve been meditating on Jesus' victory over the powers of darkness through his surrender unto death and it occurred to me that surrender isn’t always a passive thing. Perhaps sometimes it’s passive, but it’s also sometimes militant.

Surrender of myself to the Lord is an act of defiance. In surrender I declare, “I deliver all my fears, my responsibilities, and my very life to you. I belong to you.” But it doesn’t end there (and when it ends there, that’s makes me uncomfortable). No, when I submit myself and all my belongings to Jesus, I walk his path towards triumph over the darkness. He demonstrated that the path to victory and exaltation is through (seeming) defeat and surrender to the powers. Therefore, I also submit and trust that through my own self-death, small as it is, victory and exaltation will follow from the Lord.

I think C.S. Lewis had it right that the Enemy hates to be mocked. Surrender has been great fodder for mockery, for every attempt that he makes to afflict me with fear and intimidation only leads me to surrender myself to the Father and, through my surrender, to overcome my Enemy. Even if he goes all the way and has me put to death, even in my death shall be my final triumph.