Rededication vs. Surrender

As we are coming out of the holiday season, moving into the New Year many people will begin to make New Year’s Resolutions. You see much of this New Year’s resolution is a result of a person’s habits getting out of hand. Therefore, for the New Year they begin to determine in their mind what they want to change. Whether it’s losing weight, gaining, or some other goal, this January 1st many people will make a list of goals (resolutions) in which they desire to accomplish.
This mindset has even crept into mainstream Christianity. So you know the way Alaskans catch wolves? I am glad you asked. What they do is take a knife and dip it into blood. Once dipped, they then freeze the knife. After the process of freezing is complete, they begin the process all over again. Once there are many layers of blood frozen on the knife, they then place the knife into the ground. Because wolves have a keen sense of smell they’re, attracted to the blood. As they begin to lick the blood continuously, eventually their tongue hits the knife and causes them to bleed. Because they have a taste for blood, they smell and taste new blood and continue to lick. Eventually the wolf is dead in the snow from loss of blood.
This is how sin affects us. We are attracted to it because it satisfies the flesh (old patterns of getting our needs met apart from God), and before we know it, we have licked and licked and we are now lifeless. Sin causes us to be separated from God. We don’t lose our relationship, but we do lose fellowship with God. You see sin if continued becomes a habit, and a habit eventually becomes a stronghold and ultimately you are off course. Maybe you are at church and the Lord convicts you through the man of God so, you decide to "come back home" and you rededicate your life to God.
When we re-dedicate our life to God, "it’s as if we are saying, "I blew it last time, this time I will try harder." But the fact of the matter is that if we can do it, or try harder and succeed, there was no need for Jesus the Christ to come to this Earth. Jesus is the only one who could do it, or live the "life." We have to develop a mindset of telling God, "look I’ve tried it my way and failed. Lord, I surrender my life unto you." For you see, "I have been crucified with Christ lives within me" (Gal. 2:20). "He made Him who knew no sin to become sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God" (II Cor. 5:21). It’s the great exchange! Jesus came to give His life for me, to give His life to me, to live His life through me. The fact is Christ cannot live through me until I surrender my life unto Him.

By Robert L. Wagner (December 31st)
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