Surrender

1 Samuel 17: 32-49   Mark 4:35-41

David said to Saul, “Let no one’s heart fail because of Goliath; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 

When I was a child, my grandmother, a very proper Edwardian lady, spent a great deal of time with me, sometimes we played games, but sometimes she would read to me.  My Dad read me lots of great children’s stories at bedtime, but during the day my grandmother read me children’s Bible stories.  Among my favourites were Moses in the Bulrushes, and the sad story of Hagar, who is saved by God.  Among all the stories was, of course, the one about David and Goliath. 

What an exciting tale, about this little boy, for that was how he was portrayed, fighting a great big giant.  In reality, David was probably not the little fellow we often see in paintings in those children’s stories.  It is more likely he was a teenager, possibly as young as 13, but just as likely to have bene older, 16 – 18 years of age.  And we know the story well. – it’s one where the underdog, David, beats the much stronger, better equipped, far more experienced Goliath.  We like stories where the underdog wins.

What did we learn from today’s classic tale?  One interpretation is that we must face our problems, no matter how large they seem.  Another is that we conquer by faith.  That’s a good point.  Another is that it is an allegory for the triumph of good over evil.  All of these are excellent observations, but what part of the lesson is the most telling? Perhaps it is David’s young age, or his meager weapon – the slingshot – or his courage and bravery?  Interestingly, what is perhaps the most important point of all isn’t necessarily the first one that comes to mind.

Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. David strapped Saul’s sword over the armor, and he tried in vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them.” So David removed them.

Did you realize, when you heard that part of the story, that David began by surrendering? That’s right – surrendering!  Going into battle without his armor, casting off his protection, must have seemed the height of folly, and a sure sign he had given in to his fate - that he was acknowledging he would lose.  But, casting off his armor was the most important thing David did before engaging Goliath in battle.  Why is this so?

In our society the word “surrender” has negative connotations.  We believe it is important to be in control, to have a grip on things, to wear our armor, to be “ready for anything”.  “Never give up.  Never surrender.”  Everything we own, from our clothes to our cars to our homes, even if we only rent them, are there to protect us – and we would never dream of voluntarily surrendering them, leaving ourselves exposed and vulnerable.

But surrender has an entirely different meaning within our faith. Mother Teresa tells us surrender is total love.  David begins by casting off the armor of this world, and surrendering, not to the Phillistine, but to God.

When evening had come, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go across to the other side.”

The image in this story, on which many sermons rest, is always that of the boat.  In cruciform churches, the part where the congregation sits is the nave, the boat, and in today’s Gospel we have a boat filled with Jesus’ followers.  It does sound very church-like. 

But what if the boat can represent something else?  What if it represents each of us individually. Then the story changes to something very personal.  When the journey began, each man in that boat felt safe and protected.  It was a good sound boat, so safe that Jesus was comfortable enough to fall asleep in it.   That’s how we feel – as we journey through each day, that we are sound, and safe, and protected.  And somewhere inside us, Jesus may well have taken a nap.  How tired is Jesus in your life?  That is, how much time is He relegated to napping somewhere in the back of your consciousness?

For most people, if we’re honest, Jesus is often napping in our hearts and minds.  Though we speak to Him in our prayers, it often takes something catastrophic for us to wake Him.  It is when the tempests and waves and storms of life assail us, be they great or small, that we’re most likely to call on Him for help.  That is when, after we’ve tried every solution of our own, we’re most likely to let Him take over.  Suddenly we remember He is there, and He can do what we cannot.

And the reassuring news is that, as He was for His followers in our Gospel today, He is easily awoken, and filled with both a mild consternation, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”, and total compassion, and Jesus said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!”

David did not rely on himself.  The disciples could not save themselves, despite Jesus being asleep in the boat with them.  Both stories are about surrender, of ourselves, our lives, our safety and security, our everything – to God.

Surrender to God does not in any way mean we must turn our backs on our life in this world.  Some people, for example, the great Religious of many centuries, have done just that, but that is a special calling, and not one we are required to follow.  So – what does surrender to God mean for us ordinary people, children of God, disciples often battered by the storms of life?

Surrender means trust.  You cannot surrender to Jesus, to God, unless you trust lovingly and totally, and this takes work on our part.  Ask yourself how your prayer life is going – is it a top priority?  How about those silent times set apart to meditate – that’s the modern word for it – to mediate and give Jesus some air time?  

We don’t expect our friends and family to stay really close if we don’t stay in touch.  We do trust them to be there if we need them, but to build those loving, trusting, really close relationships, we phone or text on a regular basis. Jesus will never, never, never let us down if we put our faith and trust in Him, but it certainly helps and strengthens our relationship with Him when we stay in touch.

And there is something else.  We are called not only to surrender to God, but to each and every person God puts in our path.  What that means is, we don’t face people with negative or preconceived notions – which we believe protect us and give us strength.  Instead, we are to cast off our prejudices and personal opinions, and treat each individual as if they were Christ.

To quote St. Paul, "Cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light", i.e., give up your worldly protections and surrender to God.  That is a truly scary thing to do – and we wonder if it was a wise decision - until the miracles begin.  “See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!”

Let us pray in the words of the hymn:

Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us o'er the world's tempestuous sea; guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us, for we have no help but thee; yet possessing every blessing, if our God our Father be.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.