Lent 2021

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42 NIV)

The verse is today’s Verse of the Day in my Bible app, and it is a very apt verse.

My first post for this blog was in January 17, 2021, with the intent of doing this weekly. However, for one too many excuses, this did not happen.

While I can say that I have been able to read the Bible at least five times a week, the intention of having this blog is to document God’s teachings to me: From His Word, His movement in my life, and through devotions. That, however, did not happen for three months.

During my daily prayers, I would ask God to help me to surrender all of myself to Him. I believe I sincerely prayed this prayer with my heart. I desire to be used by God.

So I was shocked with myself that I thought twice about making the same prayer for myself: Not my will, but His will be done.

I believe that in order to do good works that actually please God, I have to 1) accept Him as my Lord and Savior, so that we could have a real relationship; and 2) constantly be led by the Holy Spirit, as living a holy life is not difficult, but impossible (quoting Pastor Peter Tan-Chi). Even as I know that I am a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), I also know that I have to walk by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). These truths remind me that I have to abide by Jesus, as a branch that requires the vine to be fruitful (John 15:5).

Abiding, in its original word, relates to “continue to be present,” “to endure,” “to remain as one, not to become another or different,” or “be at home” (Strong’s Concordance). All these connote a state of being and not of action. So abiding relates to a state of the heart to start or persevere all action.

The verse reminded me, indirectly, to ask God to reveal to me what’s my own heart’s intent, aligned with His plan for me. And front and center, I understood the question that I really have to answer: Is my heart fully surrendered, and am I myself fully surrendered that I would be willing to let go of my own control over things, so that His plan, however He uses me, will be accomplished for His glory?

Indeed, it is a scary situation. I have experienced moments when I, in faith, will not stress myself because, for me, being stressed over something is an action. Honestly, right now, I’m beginning to understand why God reminds us to abide in Him with that meaning: to stay, not to do anything on my own but just do what God asks us to do for His own glory. And be filled with awe as I see with my own eyes the unfathomable sovereignty He has over all creation. When things just happen with results better than how I imagined them.

Indeed, sometimes I forget the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross, so sometimes I also fail to understand His glorious plan to honor His name and sanctify us to the likeness of His Son. As Luke 22:42 reminds us to surrender my will and turn over control to the Lord Jesus Christ, the story also reminds me that surrendering to God turned the death due to man’s pride and control to His victory over sin and fulfill God’s promise since the Fall (Genesis 3:15).

Self Reflection: Remembering the model of Jesus surrendering to the Father that resulted in the greatest victory that benefitted you and me, which area/s of your life do you still need to surrender to God?