Prayer to surrender to God
Author: Kenisha Sanders Liddy
Bible reading:
“Therefore, I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your due service” (Romans 12:1).
Listen or read below:
What is the best gift we can give Jesus? When a wealthy young ruler came to Jesus hoping to follow Him, he left disappointed because he did not want to part with his wealth. But Jesus wasn’t just looking for his own possessions. He wanted him.
God wants the same thing for us today. He doesn’t just want our finances, talent, or voice. He wants us. I love how Romans 12:1 describes surrender as our “rational service.” To me, that means that devoting yourself to God is the most basic and natural expression of faith. It’s nothing special, it’s expected.
Many people trust Jesus but do not make themselves fully available to Him. But here on earth, we are vessels used by God to accomplish His will. When Jesus came into the world as a baby, He used Mary, a woman who was willing to obey God. Similarly, we are called to be God’s hands and feet. All God requires is that we surrender completely to Him.
This truth is beautifully expressed in the hymn “I Surrender All.”
“I give all, I give all, I give all to You, my blessed Savior, I give all.”
When we offer our bodies as living sacrifices, God has access to every part of our lives: our finances, our home, our families, our hearts. God wants the best for us, and the best we can offer is to serve Jesus Christ wholeheartedly. Jesus gave himself completely when he died on the cross for the sins of the world. As we surrender our lives to God, the way we live should reflect that same spirit of surrender and sacrifice.
Just as nothing is too difficult for the Lord, what He asks of us will ultimately align with His power, even if it is incomprehensible to others. What really matters at the end of this world is the treasure we store up in heaven, where no moth can destroy it and no thief can steal it. Only the things we do for Christ will stand the test of time and last forever.
Therefore, let us surrender ourselves completely to God and withhold nothing from our Creator. God created us and knows exactly what we are capable of. When Moses doubted his ability to speak before Pharaoh, God simply asked, “Who made your mouth?” (Exodus 4:11). The same God who created us will equip us for His purpose.
Today we must make up for that time. Because these are bad days. As the world changes and the influence of Christianity wanes, it is more important than ever to be a true disciple of Christ. When we truly surrender, God molds us into who He has created us to be. God’s plans don’t always match ours, but trusting God is a way to show that God is good. God’s plan is always good, even when the job is difficult.
Surrendering yourself to God is a lifelong process. We must die to ourselves daily and trust that God’s way is better, no matter the cost.
Let’s pray:
Most merciful Father,
What a wonderful God You are and worthy of all praise. Help me to honor You in all that You have given me every day on this earth. I surrender myself to You as a living sacrifice, desiring to become a true disciple available to the Master. You have been faithful to me every day, and not only have you saved me, but you have kept me from falling away.
Thank you for your promise that you will never leave me or forsake me, and that you will be with me until the end of the world. Because of all you have done for me, I gladly present my body as a living sacrifice for you to use me.
Lord, help me to be an empty vessel worthy of Your use wherever You move, in church, community, and family. I offer my life according to Your will, knowing that because of my human limitations I must renew this surrender every day. I thank You that I am made whole in You and reconciled to God the Father.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen.
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Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Olaf Speier
Kenisha Sanders Liddy is a wife and mother. She is an avid reader and writer of wholesome romance novels. She believes in the sufficiency of the Bible and has a master’s degree in Biblical Counseling. Raised as a pastor’s child, she fell in love with the love of Jesus at an early age and wants to encourage others to live for Jesus through her words. You can find more of her musings at keneeshaliddie.com.
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