I am a pretty competitive person. I will make up competition within competition just to spice things up. If I lose at something, it’s not a big deal, I just love to compete. However, line up several losses in a row and I start to get mad. Losing streaks stink. Failing repeatedly stinks. The summer I was coerced into play Co-ed recreational Softball was awful. No matter how hard I tried, I just did not have the skills to succeed at softball. It was a personal loss every time I stepped up to the plate and tried to squash that dang bug (some batting coaching I received).
Now imagine waking up and losing every day for the rest of your life. Not only that; it’s the best thing that has ever happened to you.
I have heard so many times, from so many speakers, that we should “wake up and say “Good morning!” to God.” Or wake up and thank him for a new day or however else you want to phrase it. I didn’t get it and still don’t. To me this is just one of those Christian things we should do. Then two weeks ago I heard something new. “Wake up every morning, and lose to God.”
One of my all time favorite and most challenging speakers, Ben, was sharing a story from the book of Joshua. In the story, Joshua was talking about this idea of losing to God. Joshua is speaking to the Israelites about abandoning their idols and false gods and being faithful to God. He says to them, “Chose this day whom you will serve.”
Two points: first, it’s a choice. I have to choose to serve God. I can fight it the whole way or I can chose to let him have control from the beginning. I tend to choose option A but He’s going to win anyway. This thought of just waking up and saying “You win today” really rocked me. It is surrendering, telling God he is in control, and rejoicing in the loss.
Second, it’s not just a one-time choice. I can’t choose to surrender twice today and bank it for some day next month when I just feel like doing things my own way. Joshua says “Chose THIS day who you will serve.” It’s a daily commitment. One of my teammates put it like this: we say the one big “Yes” to Jesus but it’s the million little yeses that are tough. That’s so true… it’s a hugely amazing step to give your life to God. But “life” is a pretty broad and vague term. Just like life is made of the moments…our commitment to God is made up of the surrenders.
We are going to lose. It’s a fact of life. Why not give up the power struggle and surrender to the Creator of the Universe? One of my prayers for this year is that choosing to lose each day isn’t even enough. It becomes surrender every hour, every minute, every second… until it’s not even a choice I have to make. God is everything; I am nothing. I lose; he wins. A surrendered life…
“As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” Joshua 24:19
