If I had to sum up 2012 with the thought that has been most predominant for me, it would probably be with the word ‘surrender’.

I blogged about this (with the same title) back in January (‘Surrender’, January 2012), having just listened to Chris Tomlin’s song ‘White Flag’ at the Passion Conference in Atlanta. That conference certainly took that theme, with the Passion album released in March bearing that title and containing another song (‘Lay Me Down’) on a very similar theme. You can listen to the songs by clicking on the links below:
Chris Tomlin, ‘White Flag’
Chris Tomlin & Matt Redman, ‘Lay Me Down’

I returned to the topic in April (quoting ‘Lay Me Down’ in that blog post as well!) in a post entitled ‘Whose Am I?’, April 2012 By that time, I was already struck by another song I had recently heard called ‘All Yours’ by Kutless. If our lives belong to God already by virtue of the fact that He has paid the price for us, what right do we have to hold on to our life and try to live it our own way?

There is nothing new about this subject, of course. In the Bible studies we did on Romans, we looked at this topic for a long time, especially as we studied Romans 6-8. Part of the process of growing in the Christian life is learning to surrender to God, putting His will above our own: “It will be my joy to say ‘Your will, Your way, always.'” (‘Lay Me Down’) Lately, in our studies on James, we have been coming back to the same theme. We started in James 1 by reflecting on the fact that the trials and temptations we face in this life are to be welcomed as gifts because they shape in us Christ’s character. We have learned that taking the long view, having a heavenly perspective, is necessary if we are going to be able to wait on the Lord and hope in His unfailing love. Last night, as we looked at the verse ‘submit yourselves to God’ in detail, we realised afresh that surrender is absolutely key to our Christian walk.

Surrender is not an easy process. I have wrestled with the illness and death of a former colleague’s husband this year, struck down by cancer at the age of 47. Prayers for his healing were fervent and yet he died in October. I know of many other heartbreaking cases (families whose children struggle with life-threatening illnesses, a family where the mother is dying of cystic fibrosis unless she can receive a second lung transplant.) I do not have answers to many of the questions people ask me about God’s will, but this year I have learned to cherish above all the truth ‘Sometimes all we have to hold on to/ Is what we know is true of who You are’ (a line from ‘Even If’ by Kutless) more than ever. Surrendering to God means that we say ‘yes’ to Him, even when the heartache hits like a hurricane, even when we do not understand His ways or His will.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus showed us what that ‘Yes’ to God looks like, and the events that followed that show us the results of that submission. We owe our salvation and our very lives to the fact that Jesus surrendered to the Father’s will. As Paul wrote, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.” (2 Cor 1:20) The rest of that verse goes on to highlight our part in this process, however: “And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2 Cor 1:20)

‘Amen’ – so be it – may it be so. No wonder we end our prayers with this short, but desperately meaningful, word! May we learn continually to submit ourselves to God and to surrender all that we have and are to Him.

Last night we looked at James 4:6-10, verses that remind us of the grace available to us from God and how this is effective in those who are humble. Those who are proud find themselves on the wrong side of God, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6, quoting Proverbs 3:34)

The proud (the word combines two ideas, that of a torch or flame and the idea of this being waved high to attract attention to it) are secure in their own righteousness (see Luke 18:9-14). That, however, is mere bluff, for their own righteousness will never be enough to save them. The humble are those who are lowly, like the tax collector who is unable even to look up to heaven. The Pharisee in this parable does not ask God for anything (he sees no need!), but the tax collector knows his need for mercy. We too are aware that we need mercy and grace.

Pride may be called the original sin, the one that saw Lucifer expelled from Eden (see Ezekiel 28 & Isaiah 14). When we are proud, we think we have no need of God; we seek to put ourselves in His place. We become number one. That is anathema to God, for He is the only One who should have that place. We can be proud in our actions, but also proud inwardly (see Luke 1:51). All pride is abhorrent to God and He actively opposes it.

James reminds us that the key to success in this topsy-turvy kingdom where the exalted will be brought low and the lowly exalted is surrender. We are to submit ourselves to God (James 4:7). That involves laying down all our rights, waving the white flag of surrender, acknowledging that God is God and we are not! Only then do we have the resources to resist the devil. We have to have a proper attitude towards our sin, not glossing over it or pretending that it doesn’t matter (James 4:8). God is the One who has promised to lift us up (James 4:10). Again, it all comes down to grace, which is undeserved favour. When we choose His ways over our ways, we are humbling ourselves and He will then lift us up.

These are simple truths to say and write. They are, however, issues that God will bring us back to time and time again, for our hearts are desperately deceitful and pride comes in many shapes and forms. Let’s not be afraid of surrender, for when we lose our lives, it’s then that we find them.

According to popular views on the Mayan calendar, today (21st December) will be the last day. Today will see the ‘end of the world’.

I don’t believe any human knows when the end of the world will come (Matt 24:36). But I do believe things will not always continue in their present form. I do believe in the coming of the Lord. I believe in a great and glorious day when Jesus will return (see Titus 2:13).

But it’s hard to believe in that without seeming as crazy as all the many others who have predicted the end of the world to a specific timescale. There are plenty of people who think life will just go on as normal, ad infinitum. Peter wrote about scoffers who say “Where is this coming He promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” (2 Pet 3:4). He tells us, though, “the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.” (2 Pet 3:7)

In this period of Advent, we look back to the first coming of Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem. Despite the expectation of ‘Messiah’, His arrival was largely unnoticed by people then. We may look back in amazement, seeing the fulfilment of so many prophecies and marvelling at God’s faithfulness, but at the time, would we have been so alert? Apart from immediate family, a handful of shepherds, some wise men, Anna and Simon, who really knew much of the tremendous events of Christmas and those early years?

As we look ahead to Christ’s second coming, our expectancy levels may not be particularly high. We have had to wait more than 2000 years. We understand the scoffers who don’t listen to prophecies about the end of the world because they’ve heard it all before. But the fact remains “the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear like a roar and everything int it will be laid bare.” (2 Pet 3:10) This world is not going to last for ever and we are naive if we think it is.

Peter, ever practical, connects these truths to our daily lives with devastating simplicity. “Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life? Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival.” (2 Pet 3:11, The Message). “Do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace.” (2 Pet 3:14, The Message).

The end of the world might well not be today. But I do well to treat every day like the end of the world, for today is all I have. There is never any guarantee of tomorrow (James 4:14). And if I anticipate Christmas with the benefit of hindsight, I also look forward with hope. God is faithful. Jesus is coming again. I may not know when. But I know “the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thess 4:16-18)

We are currently in the period of the church calendar known as Advent (this year, beginning on 2nd December and ending on 24th December). It is a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. It has always struck me as quite strange that we anticipate eagerly something that has already happened. The juxtaposition of time frames in that season appeals to the language teacher in me!

The language teacher in me knows that the word ‘Advent’ is from the Latin adventus, which is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ. For Christians, therefore, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from two different perspectives. The season offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming. I find this duality deeply interesting.

Every Sunday when we take Communion, we look back at the work Christ has done on the Cross to purchase our salvation. We also, every time we remember, look forward to His second coming: “In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Cor 11:25-26) It seems that this combination of looking back (remembering) and looking forward (anticipating) is present more often than we may think!

Today’s musical input is coming from Phil Wickham, whose album ‘Heaven and Earth’ is one of the best examples I know of both remembering and anticipating (he starts the album with ‘Eden’, looking back at how it all started and ends with ‘Heaven Song’, a celebration of all that heaven is.)

‘In Your City‘ is a song that anticipates our arrival in heaven:
“Oh the glorious day when we arrive
And Heaven’s gates are opened wide
All our fear and pain will fade away
When we see You face to face

You will reign in brilliant light
Forever glorified In Your city
We, Your daughters and Your sons,
Will see the kingdom come
In Your city
My city
This is Your city
My city.” (Phil Wickham, ‘In Your City’)
Phil Wickham, ‘In Your City’

The good thing about working from home is that it allows me to listen to music while I work. Whilst my mind is busy writing lesson plans, my spirit is free to think about other things!

I have never managed to cope with the ‘random’ feature on MP3 players. Life is random enough as it is without the music I listen to being random! So I tend to set the computer to play a particular artist and work through their albums in chronological order (I bet you knew I’d be like that, didn’t you?!) Today’s offering is Chris Tomlin and I’m currently on ‘See The Morning’, an album very dear to my heart as it sustained me through my original diagnosis of diabetes in 2006. Music is often associated with memories, I find.

The second track on this album is ‘Made To Worship’. The Westminster Catechism tells us that ‘the chief purpose of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.’ John Piper has argued that that ought to read ‘glorify God by enjoying Him forever’ and talks about Christian hedonism. So often in life we wonder ‘What’s the point? Why are we here?’ If you are feeling like that in the frantic run-up to Christmas (less than a week to go now!), I would urge you to slow down long enough to read the words of the song, which reflect our true purpose in life.

“You and I were made to worship
You and I are called to love
You and I are forgiven and free
When you and I embrace surrender
When you and I choose to believe
Then you and I will see who we were meant to be

All we are
And all we have
Is all a gift from God that we receive
Brought to life
We open up our eyes
To see the majesty and glory of the King.” (Chris Tomlin, ‘Made To Worship’)
Chris Tomlin, ‘Made To Worship’

The final Bible study of the year will be on Thursday (20th December), when we will continue to look at James 4.

Karl Barth, the eminent Swiss theologian, said, “Charis always demands eucharistia”. In other words, grace always demands gratitude. There is a short verse in James 4 that can almost slip us by in its gentleness: “But He gives us more grace.” (James 4:6) Yet its truths can reach deep within and transform the most difficult of circumstances.

More grace. Grace available for every need. Sufficient grace (2 Cor 12:9). Grace that will never run out. Grace that transforms situations and helps us to walk through dark times.

The only appropriate response to that grace is thanksgiving. We overflow with thanks. We are grateful. We deserved judgment, but find mercy instead. Grace seasons the sorrows and leads us to faith.

What other gems will we find in James 4? Come along and find out!