"The Stand"

​Last week, we reflected and looked back on God’s constancy and steadfastness in the past year and throughout our lives.  We celebrated and praised God for His unending faithfulness towards us.  This week we’re going to look at what an appropriate response would be to God’s great faithfulness.

​God’s greatness, His sovereignty, His love and faithfulness towards us is unfathomable in scope and breadth.  We will never be able to fully comprehend all that God is and all that He’s done.  However, the more we learn about Him, and the more we see Him for who He really is, the more our heart should be awed and humbled by what He’s done for us.  So as we continue to contemplate and remember the many ways God has shown Himself faithful in our lives, let’s soften our hearts and surrender to the One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
 
Surrender.  We don’t like that word.  It means dying to self, releasing control, and letting go--things we as sinful humans don’t naturally want to do.  However, surrender is an important part of the Christian walk and something God requires.  He wants our heart, and He wants us to give Him complete and utter control of our lives so that He can accomplish His perfect work in and through us.  But in order for the Maker of the stars to create His masterpiece within us, we must surrender our hearts—every part of it—into His capable hands.  It’s hard.  It’s difficult.  And it requires much trust. 
 
But this year, as we continue to move forward into the unknown of the future, let’s praise the Lord for all that He is and all that He’s done and give Him the ultimate offering of worship—that of a surrendered heart.  As Joel Houston from Hillsong so accurately wrote in his song, “The Stand”:  “What can I say, oh, what can I do, but offer this heart Oh God, completely to You.”
 
So as we ponder the lesson of surrender, let’s declare this anthem together and give our hearts completely to the One who keeps it beating each morning, and worship our Creator with utter abandon.

The Stand
“You stood before creation
Eternity within Your hands
You spoke all life into motion
My soul now to stand
You stood before my failure
And carried the cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand
 
So what can I say
And what could I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You
 
So I'll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
This life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand
 
So what can I say
And what could I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You
 
So I'll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
I'll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours.”
 
Songwriters: Joel Houston
The Stand lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group