2017 Submitted by Lara Cook
And those who know your name put their trust in
you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10
I surrender all. This is the new
screen saver that I recently put on my cell phone. I, like many people, change my screen saver
out often, depending on my mood, or what proud mom picture I have that I want
to use. Sometimes it is just a
meaningful phrase or a Bible verse. I
wanted this as my screen saver because I love the fact that I have an almighty
God who loves me and I can take everything and lay it at His feet. I also loved the clean white background and
simple font. Simple, clean, and very
meaningful. A few days later I realized
that this is the most appropriate screen saver ever for me and I should never
change it.
While I love the idea and the
freedom of surrendering all to God, I also struggle with worry. I don’t ever check my phone for any reason
other than to see if I have a missed text message or missed call from one of my
kids. I don’t get social media updates
or email notifications. I usually check
my phone out of worry that I have missed something important - or horrible –
and if my phone rings, I immediately worry about what is wrong or about the
news I might be about to
receive. It is a struggle.
A few days ago, as I pressed the
home button on my phone to see if I had any missed calls or messages, I saw the
words I surrender all. In that moment, it dawned on me that all the
reasons I am checking my phone are all people I have already surrendered to
Jesus. I have laid at them at Jesus’
feet and supposedly left them there.
With those words as my screen saver, every time I press the home button
I am reminded that I have turned them all over to Him. I have surrendered everything about them –
their safety, their health, their friends, their choices, their future. He has it.
He is in control. They are His
and He loves them and cares about them even more than I do. Will I still worry sometimes? Of course I will. I am vulnerably human. I know that does not mean that nothing bad
will ever happen to anyone I love. But it
does remind me that I have no control. I
do have faith in the one who does. Because I am human, I need this reminder.
This may have been coincidental,
but it is an amazing and incredible coincidence. Every time I check my phone I get a gentle
reminder that I have surrendered all. It
is like God telling me It’s ok, I have
got this. Stop worrying. I surrender
all my children and their care and keeping to almighty God. I have no power or control over what happens
to them but He does. And He is so much more
capable than I ever was. Worrying about
them and everything that could happen is way more than I can handle, and
absolutely not glorifying to Him. He
wants me to find rest and peace in trusting Him, in surrendering to Him. I am beyond grateful that t can lay them all
at His feet, along with everyone and everything else in my life because I know
that He is able to handle it all.
The crisp clean white background waves
like a white flag of surrender now every time I see it. My white flag of surrender also serves as a
white flag of victory. I have learned
that in surrender we find victory. Surrender
does not mean defeat. I can have victory
over all my worries, struggles, battles and storms, because I surrender. I. Surrender. All.
Scripture to Claim:
Therefore, I tell
you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will
be yours. Mark 11:24
