Day 18 - A Surrendered Heart
Listen to The Podcast
A Surrendered Heart - Connor Mayes
โKEEP GOING. I DONโT CARE IF YOU ARE TIRED. GIVE IT EVERYTHING YOU GOT!โ
These are the words shouting in my ear as a young man on the football field. Itโs a hot August night and I hear these words from across the field with sharp whistles in between. I remember doing conditioning until I couldnโt feel my legs and the thought of being on the couch became mouth-watering.
My coach at the time wanted us to become men that didnโt quit, and learn how to give all of ourselves to a craft. We learned what it meant to feel pain and keep going. At the end of the day, that looked like giving every ounce of our being to something bigger.
This is the โaskโ of our Savior when speaking to Peter, moments after the resurrection. Jesus asks him to โfeed my sheepโ and then asks another very interesting question. Jesus asks, โPeter, do you love me?โ Peter responds with โof courseโ. Jesus then goes on to ask the same question two more times.
Why would Jesus do this? Why wouldnโt he just take Peterโs word for it?
I believe Jesus wanted Peter to truly understand that what was being asked of him (โfeeding His sheepโ) was going to take EVERYTHING heโs got. Jesus was asking for every ounce of Peterโs being to be surrendered to the will of the Father. And sincerely surrendering our lives to Jesus requires true love.
So my question for you today is this โฆ Do you love Him? Do you love Him? Do you love Him?
You do?
Then give your life fully to Him.
Strive every day to surrender every inch of your heart to Jesus.
If you are going to โgive it all youโve gotโ why wouldn't you give it all to The One who commands storms to stop? Why not surrender your heart to The One who brings the dead back to life? Why not surrender your heart to The One who is willing to hang on a cross for you?
Do you love Him?
Scripture Reading: John 21:15-19
Spiritual Practice
Listen to I Surrender sung by Taya Smith
As you listen to the song, every time the word โsurrenderโ is in the song, write down the words โDo you love me?โ
Once the song is over, contemplate: โDo I love you, Lord?โ and sit in that moment until you feel as though you are finished.

