A guy (I'll call Sam) once came up to me and said, "Know the problem with you Christians?"

 Other words seemed hidden but understood, such as "arrogant" or "think-you-know-it-all". And despite the fact that I do know it all, that's not the way to begin a conversation. I wanted to reply, "Yeah, we have to listen to you idiots." That's probably not what Jesus would do. But before I could respond, Sam continued, "You give up."

 "Come again?"

 "All that surrendering stuff. You give away everything you ever believed or worked for. When life gets hard, you just give up. Surrender to God. You become mindless slaves. That's not living!"

 Sam couldn't explain where he got his ideas about "surrender", but truth be told, he wasn't far off from what many seem to think, including Christians. Biblical words translated as "surrender" do involve a kind of "giving up", but what kind is not always the same. Context and location tend to be rather important if we're to understand what God is telling us.

In the Old Testament, where a major theme is the sovereignty of God, surrender is often a military term concerning possession, control, or authority. This "giving up" is used for ending battles and wars, handing over criminals and kingdoms, losing family rule and self-determination. In each situation, surrender refers to an involuntary action which has been forced on someone.

But the New Testament is more about seeking and finding God. The meaning of surrender here is very different, and not just because this is Greek rather than Hebrew. This form of "giving up" also involves submission, but not due to the coercion of an angry God. This surrender is a voluntary action rooted in an agreement with a loving God. And that agreement is to follow Him.

Over the years I've heard clergy and laity alike use Sam's phrase "Surrender to God." Yet in all my research, which includes studying quite a few Bible translations, I've found only one (the Contemporary English Version - CEV) that ever contains this phrase. And there's a reason for that absence. It isn't in the Bible. The key is found in James 4:7.

Many quote part of the verse---Resist the devil, and he will flee from you---but miss the critical requirement, Submit yourselves, then, to God. The CEV and a number of teachers interpret this as "Surrender to God", leading to the assumption that the verse is about yielding on demand. Not so.

The context of the Greek here is not a command for blind obedience, but encouragement to move in the same direction, always as a loving child, never as a mindless slave. The word points to abiding faith and enduring trust that result in willful submission, the alignment of desires, and a decision to follow.

Funny thing about moving in the same direction. When all's said and done, there can be only one leader. So the question is clear. Are you the leader of your life...or do you listen when God says, "Follow me" ?

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe, trust, and follow Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13