A Powerful Hymn, A Powerful Story

A few days ago I was listening to this modern Christian song on the radio called My Heart is Yours, then it changed into the hymn, All for Jesus I Surrender.

It brought back memories. A time when these beautifully written hymns were the norm in church and helped us focus on the Lord. They always overwhelm me and turn me back to the One who saved me. I wish we sang more in church today.

Have we surrendered all?

This song reminded me of a story I read recently in Amy Carmichael's book, 'Things As They Are.'

In this book Amy shares stories of her life in India as a missionary. I'll try to paraphrase this particular powerful story as closely as I can.


An Indian woman came to Amy and was excited because she had accepted Christ as her Savior but she wanted to know if she really needed to leave her Hindu caste and all their rituals and practices. She told Amy, 'I secretly worship God during these rituals and spend time in my room alone with Him. Crying out to Him.' 

Amy's heart sank. 

She knew that God asks us to surrender all and leave all behind to follow Him. All. What could she tell this woman, but the truth.

This story hit me hard. How many of us haven't surrendered all? Do we still hold onto things that comfort us and keep us in comfort? This woman would have lost everything, her standing in the community, her family, her friends, and most likely her life, but that's what Jesus asks of us.

Complete surrender. Complete obedience.

And He is completely worth it.

It reminded me of the story of the rich man who Jesus told to go sell everything and come follow Him.

"Jesus said to him, 'You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.'

But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, 'How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!

For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'

And those who heard it said, 'Who then can be saved?'

But He said, 'The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.'

Then Peter said, 'See, we have left all and followed You.'

So He said to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,

who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”    Luke 18:22-30

There's that eternal life thing again! If you read my post HERE you read how God wants us to live for the eternal.

These verses can be saddening or bring joy.

Saddening, if you don't want to surrender all, but rather hold onto the things of this world, or joyful if you do and want to live for the eternal. What hope to the one who hears Jesus say, 'the things which are impossible with men are possible with God' and understands!!

This old hymn mean so much because it shares the hope and joy of surrendering to the Lord.

My heart is Yours by Kristian Stanfill:

All to Jesus I Surrender by Robin Mark:

Buy it HERE on Amazon