Is your relationship with God transactional or unconditional? Walking with God in a transactional relationship implies that your commitment to Christ is influenced by the benefits that accrue to your life as a result of your devotion. A life of surrender implies that though there will be challenges and delays in destiny and often very difficult pathways to tread, we are nonetheless committed, knowing that abandonment to Christ will ultimately bring us into our blessing place whether we focus on that benefit or not.
Many of us struggle with the idea of truly surrendering ourselves to God without expecting anything in return – as a basis of commitment (not that God doesn’t want you to be blessed, He does!). It can be easy to fall into the trap of treating our relationship with God like a business transaction, where we pray for things and expect immediate results. But true surrender means letting go of our expectations and fully trusting in God’s plan for us.
I remember a point in my youth when I made a bold statement to the Lord, declaring that even if I never saw any indication of His presence, I would still serve and love Him. While this may not be something that God expects from us, I believe He appreciates the sentiment behind such a prayer. It reflects a desire for deep commitment and unconditional love for Him beyond just asking for things in return.
One biblical example of this kind of unconditional commitment is seen in the story of King David found in 2 Sam. 23:
[2Sa 23:15-17 KJV] 15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which [is] by the gate! 16 And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that [was] by the gate, and took [it], and brought [it] to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. 17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: [is not this] the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
During a time when he was at war with the Philistines and facing great challenges, David expressed a deep longing for water from a specific well in Bethlehem. Despite the risks involved, three of David’s loyal soldiers risked their lives to bring him water from that well. When the water was brought to him, David refused to drink it out of reverence for the sacrifice made by his men. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the Lord, acknowledging the selfless love and devotion shown by his soldiers. This story serves as a powerful reminder of what true surrender looks like – putting aside our own desires and expectations in order to trust in God’s plan for us. It challenges us to deepen our relationship with Christ by embracing sacrificial love and unwavering faith, even when we don’t see immediate results or rewards. Let us strive to deepen our surrender to Christ in everyday life, walking in faith and obedience regardless of the circumstances we face.
Make Your Life a Drink Offering to Jesus
What about you? Are you ready to fetch your king a drink from Bethlehem at the hazard of your own life? Paul spoke in these terms, saying that his very life was a drink offering ready to be poured out – not for man – but for the living God, our Savior Jesus Christ. In his second letter to Timothy he wrote:
[2Ti 4:6 KJV] 6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
What about you? Are you ready to be offered? Are you pouring out your energies in pursuit of exploiting all the opportunities before you, your talents and abilities for your own fulfillment? There is nothing wrong with that but there is a higher call. Writing to the Philippian church Paul boldly declared with divine resignation and determination:
Philippians 2:17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
Years ago, a particular holiness writer wrote an essay on this subject entitled “Divine Waste.” In the gospel of Mark, a certain woman comes before Jesus and pours out a very rare and expensive ointment to anoint the Master’s head. Does this resonate with you?
[Mar 14:3-4 KJV] 3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured [it] on his head. 4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
Notice the response of the 12. These were Jesus’ handpicked leaders, and yet they had an innate misunderstanding and small-mindedness regarding who Jesus was and what He represented. Yet this woman, in the house of a leper, comes and pours out her very best upon Jesus, and the men were offended. They were pragmatists they claimed, what about the poor. That wasn’t the problem. They were embarrassed because their relationship with Jesus was transactional. They expected and expressed so repeatedly to be rewarded for their sacrifice. This woman asked for nothing but the opportunity to pour out her love and honor upon the Lord of the universe personified in this lowly rabbi Jesus the Christ.
How about you? Is there a longing to be a life poured out to Jesus? So much of Christianity and Christian evangelism is focused on the benefits of coming to Christ and that is not a wrong sentiment – but there is a higher call – to be a life poured out, a divine waste, in honor and adoration to the Master. Is that you? Then purpose this day to say “Yes, Jesus I want to be a drink offering, my whole life, in honor and praise, a divine waste – in recognition of who you are and what you’ve done in our behalf on the Cross.
Do you long to live a surrendered life to Christ? It’s possible. It’s available when we open our hearts to a level of commitment greater than what we have known to this point in our lives. What is a life poured out to Christ? What does that look like? When we talk about making our lives a drink offering to King Jesus, we are essentially talking about surrendering ourselves completely to His will and His purpose for our lives. It’s about living a life of obedience and service to Him, following His example of love and sacrifice. But what does that look like on a practical level? How can we truly make our lives a drink offering to King Jesus in every aspect of our lives?
One way to do this is by living a life of worship and praise to Him. This is more than singing or worship expressed in your body language. This means recognizing Him as the King of our lives and giving Him the honor and glory that He deserves. It involves setting aside time each day to spend in prayer and meditation, seeking His will and guidance in all that we do. It means living a life of gratitude, thanking Him for all that He has done for us, and trusting in Him to provide for our needs.
Another way to make our lives a drink offering to King Jesus is by living a life of service and love to others. Jesus taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves and to serve one another in humility and compassion. This means looking for opportunities to help those in need, to show kindness and mercy to those who are hurting, and to be a source of light and hope in a dark and broken world.
Ultimately, making our lives a drink offering to King Jesus is about living with a kingdom mindset, seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness in all that we do. It’s about living with the understanding that we are citizens of His kingdom, ambassadors of His love and grace to the world around us. It’s about living with the knowledge that our lives are not our own, but belong to Him who gave His life for us.
So let us make the choice today to make our lives a drink offering to King Jesus, by living lives of worship, service, and love to Him and to those around us. May our lives be a sweet fragrance to Him, pleasing and acceptable in His sight. May we truly be living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, as we seek to make our lives a drink offering to King Jesus.
How to Deepen Your Surrender to Christ
There are many ways to deepen your surrender to Christ in your everyday life. Here are a few suggestions:
Spend time in prayer and Bible study: Prayer is how we communicate with God, and Bible study is how we learn about Him and His will for our lives.
Worship regularly: Attending church services is a great way to connect with other believers and grow in your faith.
Serve others: Look for opportunities to use your time and talents to help others in need.
Share your faith: Share your testimony with others and tell them about the difference that Christ has made in your life.
Give generously: As an act of worship and to support the work of God’s kingdom, tithe (give 10% of your income) to your church or another worthy cause.
The Importance of Love
The Bible tells us that love is the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-39). Love is the foundation of everything we do as Christians. It is the motivation for our surrender to Christ, and it is the way we show our love for God and for others.
When we love God, we surrender our lives to Him because we want to please Him and live according to His will. We also love others because God first loved us (1 John 4:19). Loving others means putting their needs before our own, forgiving them when they wrong us, and showing them compassion and kindness.
How to Love Your Fellow Man
There are many ways to show love to your fellow man. Here are a few suggestions:
Be kind and compassionate to everyone you meet, regardless of their background or beliefs.
Help those in need, whether it’s volunteering your time, donating to charity, or simply offering a helping hand.
Forgive others when they wrong you.
Show patience and understanding with others.
Speak encouraging words to others.
Pray for others.
Conclusion
Making your life a drink offering to King Jesus is a lifelong journey of growing closer to Him and living according to His will. It is a journey of surrender, love, and service. By following the suggestions in this article, you can deepen your faith, strengthen your commitment to Christ, and show your love for your fellow man.
Remember:
Surrendering your life to Christ is an ongoing process.
There are many ways to deepen your surrender to Christ, such as prayer, Bible study, worship, service, and sharing your faith.
Love is the greatest commandment, and it is the foundation of everything we do as Christians.
There are many ways to show love to your fellow man, such as being kind, compassionate, helpful, forgiving, patient, understanding, and encouraging.
