Live Free with Josh Howerton - Becoming Fully Surrendered | Ep. 234 | Thursday, December 28, 2023

Episode Date: December 28, 2023

Just as Mary surrendered to the Lord’s will for her life, we are also called to surrender to whatever He has planned for us. Following Jesus isn’t always easy, but it is never complicated. He will help us love Him and love others when we fully surrender to Him. For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

Thanks for tuning in to today's Daily Drive with Lake Point Church, a daily dose of God's word for your morning drive. When the word, not the world, becomes the majority of your week, your life will start to change. For that reason, our prayer is that God will speak to you through today's devotional. For more digital content to feed your faith, visit lakepoint.comit. And now let's dive in to today's devotional. Hey, welcome to the Daily Drive. I'm Mike Bro, and hope you're having a great week. Man, I've got to take some time, hang with kids and grandkids, got 10 grandkids, and it is a blast being a young granddad. And I hope I never take for granted that I get this privilege in this season of my life,

and then I will savor these moments. And my prayer for you is whatever season you might be in right now and whatever circumstances you may find yourself in, that you would gratefully embrace God's goodness and God's faithfulness, and that you would lead into the one who came as the prince of peace. Now we've been talking this week about living in the moment more often, and we've been focused on an obscure verse in the Christmas story. The spotlight falls on a young girl who had every reason to be super stressed out about the future. And I'm sure she did experience a bunch of those very real emotions. But right after the birth of Jesus, this is what it says in Luke chapter 2, verse 19.

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her. heart. And I've been learning from her how to soak in more moments, to save her more, to treasure more, to ponder more. And we talked about yesterday how she was able to even sing over her moments. A song of gratitude just flows out of her heart. And just one more thing today. I'm learning from her what it means to surrender my moments. Check out what it says in Luke chapter 1, verse 38. This is after she hears from the angel Gabriel. It says, Mary responded. well, I'm the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true.

And the angel left her. I just love the simplicity of that, because I am sure her heart was racing, and her mind was filled with all kinds of what-ifs, but in the moment she simply says, well, whatever he wants to do, because he is the Lord, and I am the Lord's servant,

so I will trust his plans for my life, and she just surrenders to his love. love and his wisdom. You know, I was 17 when I first did that, surrender. I was a guy that grew up in church, but I was invited to go on a retreat to northern Minnesota with a bunch of people from our church, and I'd never gone on anything like that, but I did because a really cute girl was going, and I wanted to pursue that girl, and I pursued that girl, and I actually ended up marrying that girl.

But I went on that trip for that reason, and it had no idea that God was pursuing me the entire week. And I've shared this story before on the podcast. I believe I was sitting by a campfire all by myself at the last night of that retreat. And I just put my hands up in the ear and said, God, you know, I've been playing games. I've been walking with one foot in the light, one foot in the darkness. And I just saw you as another spoke on the wheel of my life, but I want you to be the hub of my life. And right now I'm surrendering my life to Jesus Christ. And I want to follow him wherever he leads me. And that was the night I put my palms up and just put my hands in the air and said, God, I surrender. I give up. I want to do life your way. I want to follow you.

I had no clue as a 17-year-old guy where God might lead me. But man, as I look back at all the adventures I've been on, all the twist and turns and unexpected thrill rides of life that he has taken me on, I am so grateful for the places and the peace. that He, the Lord, has led me to. I was talking to a bunch of college students one time, and I just kind of got on a roll when I was preaching, and I just blurted out right in the middle. It just came out on my mouth.

I said, you know what, following Jesus is not always easy, but it's not real complicated. You know, just love God, love people. That's it. Act justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God. Now, it's not lost on me

at the first time I surrendered to God's leadership. I was about the same age as Mary when she did. But the thing I've learned is it's not a one-time deal. It's that continually, act justly, love mercy, while coming with God, surrender every day. It's a lifestyle. It's a moment by moment. It's an in-the-moment way of living.

When you're 17, when you're 29, when you're 42, 65, or when you're 88, it's a daily palms up again today. You are the Lord, and I am your servant. Whatever you want to do in me and through me today, may it be so. So as soon as this podcast ends, which is just going to be in a few seconds, why not turn your palms up on your lap,

unless you're driving, of course. And why not pray this kind of prayer and just see where his bigger wisdom just might take you today. I hope you have a great day, and I'll see you back tomorrow. Thanks for tuning in today. For more biblical teaching and worship,

join us for our church online live weekend services on Saturdays at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 9.30 and 11 a.m. Central Standard Time. Also, if this podcast was helpful to you, would you be sure to rate, review, and share this podcast to help get the word out? For more information about all digital ministries of Lake Point, visit lakepoint.compt.com.com. Church slash daily drive.