All,
Thank you for journeying with us during this Lenten season! Over the next several weeks, I will share devotionals written by TCU faculty, staff, and students of which I hope you are able to reflect upon during your own Lenten path.
Today’s devotional comes to us from Lisa Swain. Lisa has served TCU for over fifteen years and is currently our Robert Carr Chapel Coordinator. Lisa’s faith is at the center of her life, and she always has a prayer for everyone she meets. She is incredibly kind, warm, and hospitable lighting up any room she enters. She is an absolute gift to the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life and it is a pleasure to call her friend and colleague. I am thankful for her voice as part of our devotional series this year! She resides in Forney, Texas with her husband, Matt, and has four children and two loving fur babies. I hope today’s devotional brings you a time of reflection, and many blessings to you and yours. –Rev. Lea McCracken, Associate Chaplain
Matthew 11: 28-30
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden light.
Reflection:
Surrender. What a dichotomous word. It can mean defeat to some, while freedom to others. As a Christian, surrender is perhaps one of the most important aspects of one’s walk. Surrendering your will, pride, control, desires, time, and efforts is an undertaking we all struggle with on different levels, but is necessary for us to intimately know the immeasurable love and mercy that is awaiting us at the Father’s feet.
The past few years have been extremely difficult for our family as we have dealt with multiple deaths, mental illness issues, and health crises. As a fixer, nurturer, and all-around Type A Go-Getter, these valleys were very challenging. It wasn’t until after the passing of my father this past August, that I realized that I had only surrendered the parts of my life I knew I couldn’t control, and had held onto the parts that I didn’t think God needed to be worried with. What I learned is that no need, hardship, stronghold, hurt, or struggle is too small for God to handle. His desire is not to only to help us with our big burdens, but to also allow him to carry the weight of the tiniest of issues as we were designed to be in communion with him always.
When God came to this earth and lived a perfect life, he experienced what it was to be hungry, weary, tired, alone, and tempted. He wept over lost loved ones, felt the sting of betrayal, and cried out in pain and desperation when he hung on the cross. His earthly life was the ultimate example of surrendering to the will of the Father, for through Jesus’ life and death, believers were pardoned from an eternity separated from God.
As we enter this Lenten season, ask yourself what you need to surrender to the Lord? What stronghold or sin have you left unconfessed? What hurt are you allowing to fester bringing forth anger and hostility? What activity is really just an excuse or a way to gain visibility in our consumer-based world? Have you become so complacent with everyday life that you are comfortable in your rut of predictableness?
The Father is waiting for you to surrender your all to him. He desires for you to read his word so you may be able to discern truth from noise. He wants you to experience his grace and mercy daily instead of guilt and shame. He wants to offer you guidance and peace instead of being paralyzed by fear, anxiety, and chaos. Surrender to the will of the Father, for his power is made perfect in our weakness.
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29
Let us pray.
Thank you, Lord. Thank you for being near to the brokenhearted. Thank you for sharing your grace and love to all those who call your name and believe in your authority and power. We surrender our all to you. We ask that you strengthen, encourage, and guide us as we seek your will instead of our own. In Jesus name, Amen.