Selwyn starts today’s study, with: “Yesterday we commented that the issue of self-surrender is not comfortable for the ego, and for this reason many try to find every way they can to skirt around it.” Further on, he states: ” … In self-surrender the self ceases its own rule and takes God’s rule, abdicates the throne and kneels before the throne of God.”
I sometimes think, that some people know that they must placed God first and they do recognise Him as the one true God; whom they knee before – for a short time on a Sunday. For the rest of the time, they sit on their own thrones and seek God’s power to ensure that they remain on their own throne – in control of their own environment. Said another way, they make decisions during the week based upon what they want; they give Jesus little or no role in the making of their decisions – but then they turn to God in a Twitter type of prayer, seeking His help when their plans start to go astray. We can’t follow Jesus when we try to live a partly surrendered life – it’s full and total surrender, or it’s nothing!
Overall, I like Paul’s letter to the Romans, and Selwyn has selected the first part of Chapter 10 for reading and meditation – the last few verses are good and I’ve included a few more, [Romans 10:9-15 (NIV)]: “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and non-Jew (Gentile) – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
The last few verses, perhaps need to be placed into context – it is God’s Spirit, who directs the feet of those who bring good news. Jesus prepares the hearts of His people, so that they accept His Word and believe in Him.
Any comments?