Unexpected surrender

Unexpected surrender started with an invitation. Out of the blue. To consider a role in the U.S. 

And our immediate thought? No. Can’t be right. Our calling is cross-cultural. Among the nations. 

Besides, we weren’t ready to leave South Asia and her people. The place had wrestled its way into our hearts.

Then another ask came. To focus on megacities in South Asia. Surely that’s the one, we thought. Fits our heart and skill set. New city. Same area of the world.

Unexpected surrender

Funny how surrender works. Everything can sound right. Check all the boxes. Fit the trajectory.

And yet. Saying yes to what we thought was His direction brought unease. No peace.

What is Your will, Lord?

The decision left our hands. Hovered in the air. And moved us to desperate prayer for clarity. 

Unexpected surrender. We decided to rest. In His hands. Releasing our own plans and conceptions.

Letting go

Letting go landed us in the odd place. Our home country. Never on our agenda after the call to go make disciples of all nations rang loud and clear.

But in May of 2000, here we were. Todd going through orientation for his job. And me. Searching for a house. 

One morning, during my time with the Lord, doubt poked. Prodded. And I asked, “Is this right, Lord? America? Really?” My reading was Isaiah 55 and I stopped at verse 12.

“For you will go out in joy
And be led forth in peace….” 

Joy and peace? I was still struggling with grief and loss.

Pine and myrtle

Then came verse 13.

“Instead of the thorn bush will grow the pine tree,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord’s renown, 
for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.”

We were moving from a desert city. Thorns. Briers.

So I asked, “Does this mean there will be a pine tree and  myrtle in our yard here, Lord?” 

And laughed.

A brick house

That day the realtor took me all over town, looking at houses. Many. Then, we pulled up to a brick house.

“I don’t know if we’ll be able to see inside…” he said. And about that time, the owner walked out the front door.

He welcomed us in. And gave us a tour. 

He and his wife built the house. The bricks had come from historic houses being razed downtown. 

Naming trees

The owner led us out the back door. And started pointing to trees. Naming them. I kid you not. 

“That’s a dogwood. Magnolia. American Oak. Walnut. Pine….” 

Hmmm, I thought. Pine.

We rounded the side of the house. And walked towards the car. 

“Oh, and there’s the crape myrtle I planted when my wife was in the hospital.”

Ding. Ding. Ding. “The pine tree and the myrtle” echoed loud in my mind.

Sign of His glory

We moved into that brick house. For a season. Purposefully mobilizing more laborers to go to the nations. 

In my coming in and going out, the pine and the myrtle were a sign to me of the Lord’s glory.

Assurance of His faithfulness. 

Then, after three years, the Lord called us to our next stop on the journey. Back overseas. In yet another place.

Surrender

Surrender means surrender. Unexpected or not.

Sometimes we wait. Future hanging in the air. Wrestling with what is true and right. Wondering if we’re clearly hearing His next steps.

And in the wait, we fall ever more dependent.

On His Word.

On the voice of our Great Shepherd.

Only He knows the way.

What about you?

Has your journey taken unexpected turns that required surrender? How has the Lord reminded you of His faithfulness?

Related posts

Someone else’s surrender – Surrender and worship – Arrivals and departures – Naming places – Temporary place – Yes, Lord – Remembrance – Maps – 

Isaiah 55 (I was reading Holman’s 1986 NIV at the time)