There is a hymn that we often sing called, “I Surrender All”. The hymn begins with, “All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give.” Have you ever stopped to truly consider what the words mean? The word “all” means, “The whole quantity, or the entire thing.” The word, “surrender” is a verb that means, “To yield or to render to the power of another.” The name “Jesus” means, “Savior.” Substituting the meaning of the words and name, the beginning of the hymn could easily read, “The whole part that I have to the Savior I render, my entire being I freely give.”
How many of us can truly claim that we are willing to yield everything we have unto the disposal or use of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Many will state, “I give of my tithes and offerings.” But would you be willing to state, “I place all my money, assets, and wealth under the leadership of the Lord.”? How many of us would state, “I give my time unto the Lord in service on Sunday and Wednesday.”? But would you be willing to state, “I will give my life daily unto the Lord’s use.”? How many of us would state, “I am committed to teaching and discipling others about Christ.”? But would you be willing to state, “I will train my family to know the Lord, His Word and His ways – for one day He may call one of my children to serve in the mission field.”?
In the following passages of Scripture we read that Christ demonstrated unto us what it means to surrender His all unto His Father for our sakes.
John 3:16,
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 10:17-18,
“Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”
Romans 5:8,
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Acts 4:12,
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
In like manner, the Lord calls upon His people to follow in Christ’s footsteps in giving our all unto Him. Note the following Scriptures.
Romans 12:1-2,
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Philippians 2:5-8,
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Luke 9:23,
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
Titus 2:13-14,
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
Having reflected upon the Scriptures that you just read, are you truly willing to surrender your [all] unto our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – who gave His [all] unto His Father at the cross of Calvary for our sins? Does the Lord ask too much? Let it be understood, giving your all unto the Lord is not to be done through force, coercion or brow beating. Giving your all will only come through liberty – from being set free from the sin that binds us unto eternal damnation.
Galatians 5:1 states,
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
Therefore, let us freely surrender our all unto the Lord in our liberty.
