Okay, after that long ramble I wrote yesterday, if you’re still with me, I’m amazed. You got guts. I just wanted to add that I can’t believe I left out a most obvious quote about our bodies from Paul in Romans 12 Context: Paul has just described in detail what salvation is all about and sung a little hymn, then he says: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” God has bought us, so now our bodies belong to Him. The thing is, we have to surrender (ack!) them to Him on purpose... but some act of the mind.
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| The Edge, Bono, and B.B. King |
But I don’t think giving Him our bodies means, any kind of denial or extreme asceticism. I mean, there are useful spiritual disciplines like fasting and silence, but I think these are just to be practiced for a time. Jesus fasted for 40 days... not his whole life. In fact, at other times he was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard! (Matthew 11) I think, instead, it means treating your body with the respect God has given it... and being ready to do what He wants us to do and go where He wants us to go... Now that we are his, we no longer do whatever we like, but follow His leading... Like Jesus told Peter: When you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” (John 21) .... and like in this song by U2 (with BB King) – “I did what I did before love came to town.”
Maybe this is the answer to my confusion about surrender... (ie. what is it? how is it done?) ... that is, just giving yourself over to Someone else's plans...
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