The Littlest Big Word

An old hymn goes through my head.

“All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
I surrender all,
I surrender all.
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.”

All. Three little letters. Such a deceptively small word. I wonder if because it is so small that we rarely feel that it truly encompasses everything.

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Proverbs 3:5&6
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

This is one of my favorite verses. It is a principle and a promise. It also contains that little, big word. All.  Trust with all my heart. Acknowledge Him in all my ways.

There are three other words that stick out to me; heart, understanding, and acknowledge. That word heart is much deeper than what we think. In the Hebrew it is lēḇ (labe). It means inner man, mind, will, heart, and understanding. It refers to the seat of appetites, emotions, passions and courage. Understanding in the Hebrew is śēḵel (seh'-kel). It means prudence, insight, understanding and good sense. Acknowledge is the the Hebrew word yāḏaʿ (yaw-dah'). It means to be made known, be or become known, and be revealed. 

I have to trust Him with everything in my heart, all my heart. I have to trust God with who I am at my very core. Trust Him with my mind, my will, my desires, my emotion, and my passion. I have to trust Him with what I think makes me, me. Can I put in His hands who I think I am? Can I trust Him with my desires and what I am passionate about? I have to trust Him with my fears and insecurities. I have to trust Him with my work. Trust Him with my husband and with my children. I have to surrender and trust God with ALL!

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I love that God added, “and lean not unto thine own understanding.” He knows me so well. I can’t trust my common sense. I am a thinker. I try to figure it out. The problem is my thinking is flawed. I can only look at the past and the present. God sees the future.  I cannot trust my common sense. I don’t know about you, but there have been times when I have prayed, “Lord, this doesn’t make sense.” 

​For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD.  For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. - Isaiah 55:8-9 KJV

Not only do I have to trust all and lean not but I have to acknowledge Him in all my ways. I loved the meaning of the word acknowledge. I need to reveal Him in all I do. That can cause you some pause. Does everything I do show God to those around me?

Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: - 2 Corinthians 3:2 KJV

When I go about my life, does the story those around me read reveal God to them? Not a shirt that declares my faith, but actions, words and expressions. Do I have to purposely tell them about Jesus or does my life and daily conversation glorify Him? Our actions can preach the best sermon. Do I reveal Him to all men? Not just the stranger in the store, but to my family. Do my children see him in all my actions? Does my husband see Jesus in me? Do they see Him in ALL my ways?

Now here is the promise. If I surrender and trust God with all I am and reveal that trust in my actions, He will direct my path. God will lead me on the journey of life. I won’t walk somewhere He did not lead me. The road may have bumps or potholes, but the God of heaven is directing me. The road may be smooth and picturesque, He is still leading me. I will not go somewhere He did not plan or approve. Those bumps and potholes did not surprise Him, they are a part of the journey. I may not like it or understand it, but I am surrendered to the all knowing God. I don’t trust my common sense but I trust and reveal His master plan.

“I surrender all,
I surrender all.
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.”

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