Jesus Creed 21 – Surrendering in Jesus

Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord you God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind, and with all your strength.
The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no commandment greater than these.

This is a series of reflections on Scot McKnight’s book, The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others. It’s a book I unequivocally recommend for anyone. Each chapter opens with recommended Gospel readings. The readings for this chapter are: Mark 8:34-9:1; 12:28-31.

Scot summarizes this section magnificently in the prayer we should all pray each and every day.

May your will be done.

Think about that for a moment. Or several moments.

Your will be done.

Do we mean it? Or are we just mouthing the words? We are, after all, called to pick up our crosses and follow Jesus. Does that sound unpleasant or uncomfortable? It should. But that’s our calling.

Think back to the Shema and the Jesus Creed. Jesus calls us to surrender everything doesn’t he? Surrender personally. Surrender mentally. Surrender physically. If any of those are a struggle for you, this is a good chapter. This thought closes the chapter.

Surrendering ourselves to love God is not giving up things for God so much as giving ourselves to God.