Effie Darlene Barba ⋆ Page 44 of 377 ⋆ Inspiring Joy in Lifes Toughest Moments

How to Really Surrender to the Will of God

Sometimes as we go through life, we find that although we may desire to surrender our hearts to the will of God, it is not always easy. We may have plans, dreams, desires that pull or tug at our hearts. Usually we do not understand, why the Will of God seems contrary to ours. Or sometimes, it seems the more difficult or painful pathway. Perhaps that was the case with Mary and Joseph with Jesus at the age of 12 when we look at the scene here at the temple.

Certainly, Mary and Joseph had been faithful. When the angel first appeared to Mary and then Joseph, they immediately believed God and vowed to follow His will. Then, being fully obedient to all of God’s commandments they presented the child to be circumcised and named Him Jesus. While there, Simeon and Anna both confirmed the truth that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah.

Simeon proclaimed, “²⁹“Lord, ….my eyes have seen Your salvation
³¹Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
³²A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” Then Simeon said to Mary, ““Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against ³⁵(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Obediently, they went to Egypt for a time and then returned to Nazareth. But, in all this, did they realize the true purpose of Christ and the Will of God? Did they know that He would be the sacrificial lamb to pay the penalty of their own sins as well as the world?

OBEDIENT CHILD AND DEVOTED PARENTS

Luke 2: “the Child grew and became strong ^[^k^]in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. ⁴¹His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. ⁴²And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.”

Every year they went to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. That was an 80-mile trip on foot each way through rugged terrain. It was most likely harder bringing along their children (the half-brothers and half-sisters of Christ). Usually that meant the travel was best with a caravan of friends and family. So, it was Jesus at the age of twelve went with his family to the Passover. He had grown in the Spirit and was filled with God’s wisdom. Imagine having the full wisdom of God in a human body. Furthermore, although tempted as any human child is, Jesus must have felt desires of disobedience, selfishness, and even lying as all children do. Yet, He was without sin which is why they did not even think about His not being in the caravan when they left. He always was every other year. Disobedience was not an option.

⁴³When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And ^[^l^]Joseph and His mother did not know it; ⁴⁴but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. ⁴⁵So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. ⁴⁶Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers (Luke 2).

Mary Awakened to the Will of God

Here Jesus sat listening and asking questions. Most likely His questions were the kind that probed their hearts and minds, forcing them to think deeply. But Mary and Joseph were a bit frustrated. They had to leave the caravan and walk back to Jerusalem in search of Him. Imagine the anxiety of having lost your child in a very crowded city, filled with people who had come from everywhere. Then, imagine if you were responsible to care for the son of God and lost Him. Ok, we can understand their frustration. And as is typical, their first thought is what they said. “Jesus, why did you do this to us?”

⁴⁸So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, your father and I have sought You anxiously.”⁴⁹And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” ⁵⁰But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

Let me also place the response here as noted in other translations and take you back to the Greek; because this is so important what Christ had to say. Then I will try to explain both the significance and how it was Mary and Joseph must surrender to the Will of God.

⁴⁹But^[^es^] he replied,^[^et^] “Why were you looking for me?^[^eu^] Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house? (Luke 2, NET)

Luke 2:49 tn Or “I must be about my Father’s business” (so KJV, NKJV); Grk “in the [things] of my Father,” with an ellipsis.

Full Surrender to the Will of God

Suddenly after twelve years of being the mother of Jesus in a position of authority, she suddenly awakens to the truth that He belongs to God. One day she would have to bow before Him as Savior, just as anyone else would. But when? This must have stabbed her in the heart. Although He loved her with a more perfect love than any mother has ever known (because He is God and knows how to love perfectly with no selfish desires). Still, He was to be about His Father’s business. Oh, imagine His seeing the lambs sacrificed knowing He was the Sacrificial lamb. I daresay Mary did not know that would be the fate. It would have made her task too hard.

But to Mary and Joseph, they would need to surrender to the Will of God again fully. Jesus was not theirs to keep forever. Look at what He said later.

“³¹Then^[^bb^] Jesus’^[^bc^] mother and his brothers^[^bd^] came. Standing^[^be^] outside, they sent word to him, to summon him. ³²A crowd was sitting around him and they said to him, “Look, your mother and your brothers^[^bf^] are outside looking for you.” ³³He answered them and said, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”^[^bg^] ³⁴And looking at those who were sitting around him in a circle, he said, “Here^[^bh^] are my mother and my brothers! ³⁵For whoever does the will of God is^[^bi^] my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3).

Only those who surrender to the will of God could be called brother, sister, or mother. Can you imagine how Mary felt standing outside that door? But she too needed Him as Savior, as the son of God.

Surrendered to the Will of God

⁵¹Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was ^[^m^]subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. ⁵²And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2).

How could Jesus grow in favor with God? Every year that passed, marked another year of obedience and surrender. He faced every temptation known to man and did not sin. God’s perfect love for His son must have grown to a magnitude incomprehensible. From perfect love to perfect love in the maximum degree.

⁵So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming high priest, but the one who glorified him was God,^[^g^] who said to him, “You are my Son! Today I have fathered you,”^[^h^] ⁶as also in another place God^[ⁱ^] says, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”^[^j^] ⁷During his earthly life^[^k^] Christ^[^l^] offered^[^m^] both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion. ⁸Although he was a son, he learned obedience through the things he suffered.^[ⁿ^] ⁹And by being perfected in this way, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, ¹⁰and he was designated^[^o^] by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.^[^p^](Hebrews 5 NET)

Imagine the patience it took, listening to people who misinterpreted the word and knowing the truth.

So, How do We Surrender to the Will of God?

Trusting in Him
Waiting on Him
Knowing His ways are not our ways; but He knows what is best
Resting on His Heart of Love
Studying His Word
And just as Jesus taught us, spend time with Him alone in prayer and fellowship every day
Never forget Jesus as your first love—keep your love for Him fresh, vibrant and alive.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD?

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

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One Hope Holds Strong Throughout the Violent Seas of Life

Disclosures

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2020
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Credits

New English Translation (NET)

How to Dispel Fear. Never Forget! God’s Got This!

Some may think me crazy to take off and drive from Central Florida to Washington, DC alone, at a time like this. Ah, but you see, it is just such a time like this, I needed to be alone with God. With Him as my co-pilot, what am I to fear! It was a similar drive in July 2013 from Orlando to Columbia Missouri, when God impressed upon my heart to move to Missouri. I was reminded of Abraham and knew I was to go. Ultimately, I even resigned in a leap of faith before I knew of my new job’s certainty; but it was the perfect day. For my exact date of termination allowed my arrival exactly 5 days before my job started and one day ahead of a terrible ice storm. How did I dispel fear? By telling myself: Never forget. God’s got this!

That was an amazing time in Missouri. How I grew to love the Veterans I worked with. The wonderful people I met and the time with my son and his family. Five years later, God guided me to return to Florida. It was with a heavy heart at first, but I knew I must go—for love demanded it. There my life is busy. Sometimes, I feel more stretched, harder to spend the time alone with God I did before. Although, my job is an hour away, so I should devote to Him alone in my drive. But I must say, sometimes of late my mind tends to wander. Particularly, this year. My Floridian son remarried. The house always full of a hodgepodge of schedules and kids. Then came the pandemic and political upheaval. Life seemed crazy. Anxiety entered. And I needed to remember how to dispel fear and never forget: God’s Got This!

To Dispel Fear

Whatever 24-hour news cycle is on, there is the driving force of division spewed by all. Black against white, woman against man, rich against poor, Christian against Non-Christians, Republican against Democrat and vice versa to all. In everything they say and all they do, they want us to believe that we are an angry, hostile nation who can be saved by whatever ideology they are promoting only if it is not God Centered. How did we get here? Were we all lead to this place of fear so that we might blindly follow like the lost sheep we truly are? It is no wonder, I chose to get away. Alone with God to center my heart—to find truth amid the chaos surrounding me.

Oh, yes, this year has awakened within me the vision of evil at its worse. Suddenly, the scales have fallen from my eyes and I see what has happened and how evil has blinded the eyes of so many poor lost souls. Yes, the communist party has launched an attack on the United States of American from within. Lenin said, “Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.” —Vladimir Ilyich Lenin “Destroy the family, you destroy the country.” We the Christians, so wanted to prove our love and tolerance, that we stepped aside allowing this happen. Now, we have lost all control as those screaming for freedom of the press are the very ones censoring anything and everything placing labels to say “fact checked and found false” Yet, who are the fact checkers and by what criteria?

So, with all that surrounds us. How do we never forget? God’s got this. He is truth and light, even when we are surrounded by lies and darkness.

A Vision of Truth to Dispel Fear

As I drove across this countryside, I saw America. The America I see at work each day. One filled with people who truly care for their neighbors and even strangers. Here at the nation’s capital, I have watched multicultural people all walking around with a sense of pride as they take pictures of the monuments with family and friends. People responding with kindness toward each other. This is America, the land of the free. Or at least we have always been.

We fought for freedom from tyranny in order to form this nation. And then we fought, bled and died to end slavery. Each step of the way we moved toward righting the wrongs and becoming a better nation, under God. Yes, under God. For without our Christian-Judeo principles forcing us to return to and grow in the truth of gospel, we could not be the nation we are. Yet, it is that very truth we are allowing to be destroyed.

As Christians, when we first accept Jesus as our Savior, we are babies in Christ. Although instilled with the power of the Holy Spirit, all too often we squelch His powers with our self-imposed wills. Still, He guides us through hardships and trials to help us grow more into the likeness of Christ.

The same has been true of our nation. At least until we lay down our beacons of light and hid them for fear they might offend. Instead, we are commanded to shine our lights for all to see. Not to forcibly condemn others, but to draw them out of darkness into the light because they see Christ in Us and desire Him because of our love, joy, hope and peace.

Never Forget: To Dispel Fear

“The love of God is an outgoing love, not a selfish one. The outgoing love of God does something for us that He wants to do four our benefit without our deserving it. It is because of His love and grace that He has washed us from our sins in the blood of Christ. We have been reconciled to God and have been made free from sin’s penalty and also from its power if we avail ourselves of what we have in Christ. No such benefits belong to the unsaved.”[1]

God’s plan cannot be thwarted by the kings and rulers on this earth. Indeed, He plants rulers and nations to ultimately play a role in His ultimate plan. One day, Christ will return as King of Kings, Lord of Lords. To Him all kingdoms will bow, one day. Everything that happens works toward that end.

Psalm 2 depicts that very truth.

1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,

3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Yes, all those who continuously turn their backs upon God will be destroyed one day. Although this Psalm does present grace as God bids the rulers to serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling…blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.

God’s Got this

I do not know what is going to happen tomorrow or next week. Will our nation fall to communism or will we stand? I do not know the future, but I do know that God holds the future and His word is true. I will dispel fear from my heart by leaning into Him and His word. Never forget, God’s Got This and every single day into and throughout eternity. His word has never failed. He accomplishes all that He plans.

So, let me be the beacon of light shining into the darkness, proclaiming the name of Christ. I can do that only when I surrender all my heart, soul, and body to the Holy Spirit that He might do the work through me. That is my prayer for me and my prayer for every Christian Patriot and Soldier. I pray the scales fall off the eyes of all those who so blindly are following after lies and evil. My prayer is that all those who seek self-exaltation through money, power and bribes, awaken and accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Let the truth of the gospel shine its light into the darkness and bring life, liberty, love, hope and joy into this our nation once more. If God might allow one more worldwide revival before His return, what a wondrous thing that would be. Let it begin in you, me and our nation. This is my plea, Dear Lord Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit guide us into the light.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD?