2 Samuel 14:1 – 15:22, John 18:1-24, Psalm 119:97-112, Proverbs 16:8-9

2 Samuel 14:1 – 15:22, John 18:1-24, Psalm 119:97-112, Proverbs 16:8-9

 

            Classic debate in anyone's house: Who wears the pants???  Who's in charge? Husband or wife??  Well, I can really give you what I think the answer is J but I'd like to take a quote from the 2002 classic, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."  The mom tells the main character, "The man is the head, [of the house] but the woman is the neck, and she can move the neck any way she wants."  Or as I have teased in our home, "Divan wears the pants….I just tell him which ones to wear." Ha ha.  Control, in my opinion, is the hardest thing for people to give up when making a decision to follow Christ.  Even as a Christian, surrendering is the hardest part to give.  It's scary not knowing what's next, and all my life I have battled with the timeless question, "What's my purpose?  What happens next?  What am I supposed to be when I grow up?"  This has been probably the greatest struggle and I knew it at an early age.  In high school and college I even had grand plans to get the word "surrender" tattooed in Hebrew as a constant reminder to myself to give everything up to God (but to my parents and husband's relief I never did.)  In high school you could find Proverbs 16:9 written in my journal, notebooks, or bedroom wall because I recognized the truth behind it.  "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."   I may think I wear the pants, or am the head of my life, but God is the one mastering it all. 

           

  In my experience the times that I have tried to take that control, or have pushed God to the side thinking that I know better, are the times life was the messiest.  It was during those times that I crashed and burned.  These times happen way more often that not.  So hands up…surrender.  I am reminded how thankful I should be that HE KNOWS WHAT HE"S DOING!  Because we all I know that don't!!!  Life is crazy!  What a relief and hope knowing that I may have my idea of plans, what should be done, and how it should be done, but it's God who is in control.  He is guiding me….directing me. 

 

            The next question…how do we do this?  How do we give up the control, trust in him, and truly know that He determines/guides/directs our every move?  We know it, we do it, because of God's word to us.  We love and trust Him by intimately knowing Him and it starts with the Word.  We read in Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible that is a love poem about the Law: the Word of God.  In these few chapters alone, the author uses these verbs, or action words in relation to the word.  He says he "Loves," mediates on it all day long," "Obeys," "Has not departed," tastes it and savors it "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"  "Taken an oath…I will follow," asks to be taught, and "Will not forget."  These are some big commitments.  They are promises and it seems too good to be true?  How can someone really do this?  Verse 111 says, "Your statues are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart."  Joy is one of the words I highlight in my Bible.  Joy is something that I crave and desire.  Joy comes from loving the Word and knowing it.  It comes from knowing God and loving him.  It comes by trusting Him to determine my steps and knowing His plans are greater than I know.  It comes by surrendering self…surrendering what Nikkie wants, thinks, and acts on.  Hands up.  I pray Psalm 119:112, that "My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end."