Surrender

I have recently been thinking a lot about the idea of surrendering all to God. It's the kind of thing that's actually easier said than done. It's one thing to say that one surrenders everything to God, but if surrender entails giving God permission to take from us that which we may love or desire more than anything, then we will find out just how willing we are to truly surrender. Surrendering all our wants, desires, and loves to God is simply surrendering them as possible idols that we can worship instead of Christ. Only with the prospect of the loss of such things, however, can we really know what it means to surrender them to God. In thinking about these things recently, I was reminded of a song I heard growing up by Clay Crosse called "I Surrender All." Below are the lyrics to this great song on surrendering all to God.

I have wrestled in the darkness of this lonely pilgrim land
Raising strong and mighty fortresses that I alone command
But these castles I've constructed by the strength of my own hand
Are just temporary kingdoms on foundations made of sand
In the middle of the battle I believe I've finally found
I'll never know the thrill of victory 'til I'm willing to lay down
All my weapons of defense and earthly strategies of war
So I'm laying down my arms and running helplessly to Yours

Chorus:I surrender all my silent hopes and dreams
Though the price to follow costs me everything
I surrender all my human soul desires
If sacrifice requires
That all my kingdoms fall
I surrender all

If the source of my ambition is the treasure I obtain
If I measure my successes on a scale of earthly gain
If the focus of my vision is the status I attain
My accomplishments are worthless and my efforts are in vain
So I lay aside these trophies to pursue a higher crown
And should You choose somehow to use the life I willingly laydown
I surrender all the triumph for it's only by Your grace
I relinquish all the glory, I surrender all the praise

Bridge:Everything I am, all I've done, and all I've knownNow belongs to You, the life I live is not my own
Just as Abraham laid Isaac on the sacrificial fireIf all I have is all that You desireI surrender all