The sweetness of surrender.

"My times are in your hand..." Psalm 31:15

I had been a believer for about 15 years. I still remember it. I was visiting my family for my parent's 50th wedding anniversary. My husband, children and I were staying in our trailer in my sister's front yard. I had not yet been hired at America's KESWICK, but I was reading through Bruce Wilkinson's book, Personal Holiness in Times of Temptation which they were using in the Colony of Mercy.
As I read, I came across what Wilkinson referred to as the Ceremony of Consecration, and at 6:30 am Sept 10, 1999 on the floor of my trailer I prayed this prayer:

"Dear Heavenly Father,
I hereby kneel in humility before Your Throne.
I come into Your presence of my own free will and want to be here with You.
You are the most gracious and loving Person in the universe.
Your kindness to me has no boundaries or limits.
Your lovingkindness guides everything You do toward me.
Your mercies are new every morning, great is Thy faithfulness!
Your love sent Jesus Christ to die in my place and give me eternal life.
I now respond to Your love and give myself to You in this solemn moment.
Forgive me for taking so long to come to this point o f total consecration.
I hereby lift myself up to Your altar, and present myself to you as a living sacrifice.
I consecrate and dedicate myself to Your for the rest of my life.
Thank You for accepting this sincere presentation!
In Jesus' name, amen." (pg. 77)

It was a life-transforming moment. I finally surrendered ALL of my life to Christ. I finally trusted Him completely. From that time on, I have prayed many times, "Lord, my times are in Your hands."

How about you? Have you fully surrendered or are you holding something back? Give it all to Him. He holds your life in the palm of His hand. Trust Him.

Diane