Norwich bulletin., 1920-02-21
Sunday Morning Talk
THE GREAT SURRENDER.

How many and great are the things that keep us from Godl Careless ness, prejudice, pride and a desire to do our own way which, is a sinful way are some of the things which make us unwilling to surrender to God.
 The heart of man is f'deeeitfu1 above all things" It is deceitful in assuring him that his own way is best, and also that he can chance it when he likes. Thus it leads him to refuse help from God and insists on trying to save himself from sin. That IS one of the reasons why the sinner fights against surrendering himself to Christ: he will not believe himself helpless.
 In the surrender of ourselves to Christ we throw away alIs pride and reliance on ourselves. As self-reliance E the one barrier which has closed our hearts against His approaches, we must surrender it. And for the desire to go our own way and do the Sinful things we have been accus- toned to do we sQbst ltute a desire to do just as He wd I1d have us do. Our whole attitude is Changed.
 The surrender is great in the sense | that it is not easily made and in it's keffects, upon us. It is great also in l the sense that it is of great import ance in the sight of God and of His [ Son and of all the hosts of, heaven, | who, we are told rejoice over each 1 ner who repents.
 There are those who surrender ! themselves partially to Christ. They 1 try in many ways to serve Him and 1 do as they know He would like. But all the while there are matters in ! which they still reserve the right to do their own way. It is the attempt 1 to serve both God and Mammon. an l attempt that may be made and is
 very often made, but that ean never
 be really successful. The antagonis1r betwee the two ways of life grows | clearer and more insistents, and 3 choice has to be made, though it is often made unconstiously. 8 Either one must grow more and more iholy more and more desirous of living fol 1 God, or else one will grow more anc
 more set on having ones own way
 and deciding for one's self Wlthou reference to the will of God. Int
 surrender which has been made in z
 partiaI tentative way will either bt
 made complete or will be practical.
 retracted. The surrender is our ack
 noWiedgn1ent of our own weakness
 and of Gods strength, of our owI
 sinfulness and of Gods goodness.
 It should be pla that the knowl
 edge of these contrasts must grew or us if we are really trying to serv, fGod, and must in the end compel u , to make the surrender complete. ' should he plain that we shall lov' !, either good or evil more and ndre -t- that there can be no compromise.
 we love the good and love God as tn ' sum of all good, we shall certsinl, not want to be permitted to do an, evil; not even that which we conside : in the light of a rather harmless in 2 dulgence. If we love God we sha
 want to do exactly as He wants us t :. do, and shall surrender our lives t Him just as completely as we car and without reluctance.
 When we have indeed surrsndare we shall come into a haven of rest we shall find a peace such as tn : world cannot give. a peace that g beyond our understanding. Thenc t forward through all sorts of trial [ and tribulations may come upon U Q we are at peace. The great questio
 has been decided once for all, the al l, tempt to choose for ourselves hs