Surrender?

Hello members and friends of FPCE,
Surrender? Now there is a word that we don’t like much. Surrender. It means to give up, to give in, to admit we are not strong enough. Surrender is to admit our weakness. Or think of it this way: surrender is to relinquish control of one’s life to something or someone greater than we are. To surrender is to be honest and humble. Surrender is what Holy Week demands of us.
During this morning’s devotion, I listened to the story of Judas attempting to slip away (unnoticed?) from the table of the Last Supper. Slipping away to betray Jesus. But he could not slink away, Jesus knew him too well. Two phrases from the reading stood out for me:
It was dark. The shadow of the cross is looming large over Jesus’ life. Jesus will surrender to that darkness.
Do quickly what you are going to do. Those are the words Jesus spoke to his betrayer before he left the room.
Jesus is surrendering. He is turning over control of his life to the God he called Father. His final words of surrender will come later in the evening as he prays in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Surrender. It is a word we don’t like much. That is exactly what God asks Jesus to do on his last night of freedom on earth. Surrender to the arrest, the cross, and the tomb. If Jesus did not surrender, God would not win the victory over death and evil.
What is God asking you to surrender this holy week?
May God’s grace, love, and peace be with you this Holy Week.
Pastor Michael​