By Andrea Goebel, God’s Way
“I wish you would just go to sleep!”
It had been a long day without much napping for our little one. As I rocked, swayed, sang and did everything I could to soothe him, I realized that I couldn’t force him to go to sleep. It wasn’t in my power.
It was like a light bulb turned on in my brain. Our God, all-powerful and mighty, can do anything He wants. However, instead of forcing his will upon us, He gives us free will to choose whether we will follow him.
We have two pivotal examples of surrender in our savior and his mother. Mary surrendered to God when the angel Gabriel told her she would give birth to Jesus. After asking, “How can this be?”
(Luke 1:34), and hearing the angel’s answer, she responded: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).
I wonder how Mary felt after Gabriel left. Did she ever question God’s plan? Did she know what heartache she would face as mother of the son of God?
Jesus’ life, death and resurrection fulfill God’s plan: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life” (John 3:16).
In the garden of Gethsemane, we witness Jesus’ act of complete surrender to God. Even knowing the agony He would endure, Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
We would not have Jesus without Mary’s “yes” to God, and we would not have salvation without Jesus’ “yes” to God the father.
Sometimes, I can be so consumed by what I want that I forget I am part of a bigger plan apart from my own desires. I don’t want to spend all day soothing a crying baby. But sometimes, that’s just part of being a parent: we surrender our desires in order to meet our children’s needs.
We would not have the opportunity for eternal life and communion with God without the complete surrender of Jesus and Mary to His plan. Mary followed Him even though she didn’t know what would happen after she said yes to giving birth to His son.
Jesus knew the heartbreaking road He would face in His persecution and crucifixion — yet He chose to follow God’s plan anyway.
Both serve as anchors for us in our own faith walks: regardless of whether we know the outcome of our “yes” to God, the path of our total surrender to His will has greater effects than we may realize during our time on this earth.
Consider the people in your life who inspire you to pray more and do more to grow closer to God.
When we let go of our desire for control and choose to follow God, we follow the path that leads to our salvation. It will probably be hard, but it will truly lead us to freedom.
Andrea Goebel, her husband and three children live in Mt. Vernon. They are members of St. Philip Parish in Posey County.