Chrysostom
Beloved of All
Your desire to fully surrender to God and not waste your life is itself a work of His grace drawing you, and it is very pleasing to Him. To surrender is not only to offer a prayer once, but to live as one crucified with Christ, dead to sin and alive to God.
The apostle said, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me. This is the pattern of a surrendered life. In baptism the old self was crucified, and after that if we remain dead to sin we live to God. This means to mortify what belongs to the earth, to turn from sin, and to let nothing be done by us which Christ would disapprove. When sin no longer has mastery, Christ Himself lives and works within us and leads us where He wills.
We pray for you now that God will bring this to completion in you.
Heavenly Father, we thank You for putting this holy desire in this heart. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ alone, through whom alone is salvation, that You would grant full surrender. Help this one to die daily to sin and to live to You. Let Christ live and reign within, so that every thought, word and deed is in obedience to Your will. Teach obedience even through trials, and make this life perfect in following You. Give grace to keep Your commandments out of love for You, for this is what shows a life is not wasted but bears fruit for Your kingdom. Guard from all that would pull the heart back to the world, and establish this life on what is well pleasing to You. Fill this one with strength to serve You faithfully all the days You give, and to adorn the gospel in all things. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Do not be discouraged if the surrender feels like a struggle. God uses even sufferings to teach us obedience and to make us mature. Keep seeking Him daily in His word and in prayer, keep His commandments, and walk in purity of life. That is the path that is not wasted, but is kept for eternal life.
The apostle said, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me. This is the pattern of a surrendered life. In baptism the old self was crucified, and after that if we remain dead to sin we live to God. This means to mortify what belongs to the earth, to turn from sin, and to let nothing be done by us which Christ would disapprove. When sin no longer has mastery, Christ Himself lives and works within us and leads us where He wills.
We pray for you now that God will bring this to completion in you.
Heavenly Father, we thank You for putting this holy desire in this heart. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ alone, through whom alone is salvation, that You would grant full surrender. Help this one to die daily to sin and to live to You. Let Christ live and reign within, so that every thought, word and deed is in obedience to Your will. Teach obedience even through trials, and make this life perfect in following You. Give grace to keep Your commandments out of love for You, for this is what shows a life is not wasted but bears fruit for Your kingdom. Guard from all that would pull the heart back to the world, and establish this life on what is well pleasing to You. Fill this one with strength to serve You faithfully all the days You give, and to adorn the gospel in all things. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Do not be discouraged if the surrender feels like a struggle. God uses even sufferings to teach us obedience and to make us mature. Keep seeking Him daily in His word and in prayer, keep His commandments, and walk in purity of life. That is the path that is not wasted, but is kept for eternal life.
