Surrender Early

Trying to do something and actually doing it are two different things. Many years ago a friend did his dead-level best to teach Dad to water ski. Time-after-time, the skis were on his feet, rope in his hand, when the boat accelerated Dad cleared the water then crash-boom-bah! Over and over this happened. Our friend’s patience was endless; the others [of us] in the boat were long over it … pretty early!

Man needn’t go looking for sin – sin finds him! How many times, before your feet touched the floor, you determined this day will be different, refused to repeat yesterday’s mistakes, live your best? Besides that troublesome first-person pronoun [I] beginning each determination, what kept you from actually doing what you determined to do? John wrote, “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.” (1 John 3:9). Those “born of God” have a dive [and supernatural] power within them (Holy Spirit) to not sinning – not just the capacity to stop or the desire to stop. No, those empowered by God (born of God) can stop sinning! Now, perhaps Dad just wasn’t cut out to water ski – that’s okay; sure wish we’d decided that early in the boat ride! It is not, however, okay for Christians to shrug off or wink at or embrace the I’ll-do-better attitude toward sin. Before your feet touchdown each morning, surrender! Let this me our prayer, “God, by Your grace and in Your power, today will be different – I will be different.” It’s true, you know -- we must give up to win. Have your best day today – surrender early!