Surrender to God's Will 1/6
Day 1 of 6: The Agony of Surrender
Welcome to "Surrender to God's Will" - a 6-day journey exploring what it means to obey God not out of duty, but out of love. Each day builds on the last, so don't miss any!
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About this Week
Theme: Surrender to God's Will (Obedience in Love) Focus: The relationship between love, obedience, and true freedom. Language Learning: Hebrew and Greek Integration Core Question: What does it truly mean to pray "not my will, but yours be done"?
Day 1: The Agony of Surrender (Luke 22:42)
Day 2: The Love That Surrenders (Matthew 22:36-40)
Day 3: The Freedom in Surrender (John 8:36)
Day 4: The Surrendered Community (Philippians 2:3-4)
Day 5: The Cost of Non-Surrender (Matthew 16:25)
Day 6: The Surrendered Life as a Witness (John 13:35)
Objectives:
• Understand the heart of Christian surrender
• Learn original language insights that deepen understanding
• Apply ancient truths to modern life
• Develop a deeper, more loving relationship with God
Why does surrender often feel like death before it feels like freedom?
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus faced the ultimate test of surrender—choosing the Father's will over His own human desire to avoid suffering. His agonizing prayer reveals that true surrender isn't easy, but it's the pathway to God's greatest purposes.
Day 1: The Agony of Surrender
"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." - Luke 22:42
Quickstart (1 Minute Commitment)
Today's Verse: Luke 22:42 - "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."
Greek Word: θέλημα (thelema) - "will, desire, purpose." This isn't just a passive wish; it's an active intention. Jesus is contrasting His human desire to avoid suffering with the Father's active, redemptive purpose.
Reflection Question: Why is true surrender so often accompanied by agony?
Prayer: "Father, I confess that I often want my own will. Give me the strength to pray as Jesus did: not my will, but yours be done. Help me trust that your purpose is greater than my comfort."
Story Time (5 Minute Commitment)
Jim Elliot, a young missionary to Ecuador in the 1950s, wrestled deeply with God's will for his life. He felt a strong call to reach the unreached Huaorani people, a tribe known for their violence. Leaving behind his family, his home, and the woman he loved, Olive, felt like a monumental sacrifice. His journals are filled with prayers of surrender, asking God to align his desires with the divine will, even if it led to hardship.
In 1956, Jim and four other missionaries made contact with the Huaorani. Initially, the encounters were friendly. But then, for reasons still debated, the tribesmen turned on them. All five men were speared to death on a sandy riverbank. From a human perspective, it was a tragic and senseless loss. Five promising lives cut short. A mission seemingly failed.
But that act of surrender in the face of death was not the end of the story. The widows of the slain missionaries, including Jim's wife Elisabeth Elliot, later returned to live with the Huaorani people, demonstrating a forgiveness that the tribe could not comprehend. This act of love, born from the ultimate surrender of their husbands, eventually led to the conversion of many in the tribe. The very man who speared Jim Elliot became a pastor. Jim's agonizing surrender, which cost him his life, ultimately fulfilled the will of God in a way he could never have imagined.
Takeaway: Our surrender to God's will is not about understanding the outcome. It's about trusting the One who holds the outcome in His hands. The greatest agony can lead to the greatest glory when we yield our will to His.
Deep Dive (15+ Minutes)
Theological and Historical Focus:
The Garden of Gethsemane
The scene in the Garden of Gethsemane is one of the most profound in all of Scripture. It's a window into the raw humanity of Jesus and the cosmic significance of His surrender.
The Humanity of Jesus
Jesus' prayer, "take this cup from me," is not a sign of weakness or doubt. It is a sign of his full humanity. He was not a divine robot, but a man who felt real, gut-wrenching anguish at the thought of the physical and spiritual suffering that awaited him. The "cup" represented the full weight of God's wrath against sin, which He, the sinless one, was about to drink on our behalf. His sweat falling like drops of blood (a medical condition known as hematidrosis) underscores the extreme stress He was under.
The Turning Point of History
The phrase "not my will, but yours be done" is the hinge upon which human history turns. In the first garden, Adam chose his own will over God's, plunging humanity into sin and separation. In this garden, the second Adam, Jesus, chooses the Father's will over His own, paving the way for our redemption. This is the ultimate act of loving obedience.
Echoes of the Old Testament
Jesus' prayer echoes the story of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his beloved son in obedience to God's command, trusting that God would provide. In Gethsemane, the Father is willing to sacrifice His beloved Son, and the Son willingly goes to the cross, trusting in the Father's plan. The difference is that this time, the ram in the thicket is not a substitute; the Son is the substitute for us.
Why This Matters for Us: Jesus' struggle in the garden gives us permission to be honest with God about our own struggles. It shows us that surrender is not the absence of desire, but the choice to align our desires with God's. And it gives us confidence that when we surrender, we are following in the footsteps of the one who surrendered everything for us.
Optional Language Learning
Greek Context: θέλημα (thelema) vs. βούλομαι (boulomai)
•θέλημα (thelema): This refers to God's active, divine will—His purpose and plan. It's what God desires to happen.
•βούλομαι (boulomai): This refers to a more passive human desire or wish. It's what we might want to happen.
In Luke 22:42, Jesus is saying, "My human desire (boulomai) is to avoid this, but I choose your divine purpose (thelema)."
Hebrew Connection: חָפֵץ (chaphets)
While not in this specific verse, the Old Testament concept of חָפֵץ (chaphets) is crucial. It means "to delight in" or "to desire." God's will (thelema) is not arbitrary or harsh; it is rooted in His good pleasure and what He delights in. Psalm 40:8, a messianic psalm, says, "I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart." This is the heart of Jesus' surrender—a deep desire to do what pleases the Father, even when it's painful.
Optional Journal Reflection
What is the "cup" in your life right now that you are asking God to take away?
In what specific area of your life are you resisting God's will? What are you afraid of?
What would it look like, in a practical sense, for you to pray "not my will, but yours be done" in that situation today?
Share Your Thoughts
What part of Jesus' agony in Gethsemane speaks most deeply to your current situation? Have you ever experienced a moment where surrender felt like agony but led to breakthrough? Share your reflections in the comments below - your story might encourage someone else who's wrestling with God's will today.
Coming Tomorrow...
How does viewing obedience as love rather than duty transform our relationship with God? Tomorrow we'll discover how the greatest commandment reveals that surrender isn't about following rules - it's about responding to overwhelming love.
Don't miss Day 2: The Love That Surrenders - when obedience becomes worship.
This is Day 1 of our 6-day series "Surrender to God's Will." [Day 1]
Coming Tomorrow: Day 2 - The Love That Surrenders