"Awakening to Surrender: My Journey from Sunday Christianity to Daily Devotion"

A few days ago, I woke up with the hymn "I Surrender All", resonating joyfully in my heart. This melody swept me back in time to those pivotal moments in church when, one by one, we would take that profound walk to the front to give our lives to Jesus. There’s a unique blend of naivety and faith in that walk—often not fully understanding what the commitment entails yet feeling a force beyond our own gently nudging us out of our seats at the pastor’s invitation. It's as if something greater than ourselves compels us forward, guiding each step towards a deeper connection with faith.

I vividly recall an event from my youth that unknowingly heralded the start of a new chapter in my life. At the time, the significance of being saved was beyond my grasp; I felt a distinct change stirring within me. This subtle transformation began an inner shift I couldn't fully understand back then. Life continued as usual, but there was a new undercurrent—I was experiencing the conviction of the Holy Spirit, even though I couldn't yet identify it. But I lived what you might call the life of a "Sunday Christian," earnestly engaging with my faith and confessing my sins only on Sundays whilst living without regard for those commitments during the rest of the week.

This was my reality: I was a sinner who had given her life to Christ, yet I wasn't fully embodying the commitment Jesus speaks of in Matthew 16:24, where He says, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me." At the time, I didn't realise that following Him meant trusting God and surrendering my desires and plans to him. This crucial aspect of my faith journey was something I had yet to grasp and embrace fully.

Many people today approach Christianity primarily as a cultural tradition. They attend church on Sundays but then live the rest of their week as though Christ has no bearing on their daily actions. When challenges arise, they become more devout, trying to be like the 'good Christian.' Yet, this superficial practice doesn't fulfil what God truly desires. God isn't looking for mere lip service; He wants a deep, genuine commitment from us. His expectations go beyond just attending Sunday services; He seeks our devotion every moment, urging us to live our faith authentically every day.

In my earlier blog posts, I've explored the ongoing spiritual battle for our souls. The devil is strategically working to keep many as "nominal Christians." If you're not familiar with the term, ‘nominal Christians’ are those who identify with Christianity but do not have a deep, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. They may regularly attend church services and agree with some fundamental doctrines, but their faith remains shallow. Some even view Christianity as nothing more than a social norm. The devil fosters this type of shallow faith—mere lip service—because it poses no real threat to his realm.

Returning to my journey, after years of being too caught up in the demands of daily life to engage with Bible reading or prayer, I found myself at a critical crossroads. Faced with a choice, I had to decide: Would I continue sitting on the fence, or would I close my eyes to the enticements of this world and fully commit to following Jesus?

This was a pivotal "Matrix" moment for me, like the scene in the film "The Matrix" where the lead character, Neo, faces a choice between the red pill, which reveals the truth beyond the illusion, and the blue pill, which keeps him in comfortable ignorance. I chose my version of the red pill, deciding to take up my cross, follow Jesus, and stop sitting on the fence.

Similarly, God urges you to cast aside all distractions, to come down from the fence, and follow Him wholeheartedly. In these times, being a nominal Christian is not sustainable. Jesus warns in Revelation 3:16, "But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!" This stern message is directed at those tepid in their faith—nominal and lukewarm Christians. He expresses that such half-heartedness is as unpalatable as tepid tea or coffee, once hot but now merely warm; it's something you'd instinctively spit out. Jesus clearly will turn away from those who do not decisively choose Him.

What are your thoughts on this? How does this analogy resonate with your own spiritual journey?