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It was my joy to witness several baptisms recently. One after another, saved believers stepped down into the water, professing their trust in Jesus and their faith in Him alone for the forgiveness of their sins and their desire to surrender fully to the Lordship of Jesus in their lives. One after another, each person was carefully lowered backward by their pastor into the water and raised from the waters of the baptismal to walk in newness of life.

A precious sister, who looked to be about my age, was crying before her feet even touched the water. My heart was instantly drawn to her, and my eyes grew misty as I leaned forward in my seat. Her tears represented overwhelming gratitude—I could see it in her face. Yes, hearts overflowing with thankfulness sometimes spill through our eyes. As I watched my teary sister get immersed in the water, I noted that, for an instant, every part of her was under the water.

The symbolism of a new believer surrendering all to God wasn’t lost on me.
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There’s an old story about Viking warriors who, when being baptized, would hold their sword arms above the water. In doing so, they were essentially saying, “God, you can have all of me—except what I do in battle.” Whether historically accurate or not, this anecdote reveals a profound human tendency—our desire for control and mastery of our own lives.

Let’s examine our hearts and invite God to do the same. Are we saying in any way, shape, or form: “Have all of me, God, but what happens on the battlefield is my business?”

In your daily surrender to Jesus, what are you holding out of the water? Some worldly good? A career? A relationship? A dream? God calls us as followers of Christ to surrender all openhandedly. This total surrender is one of our daily acts of spiritual worship. Surrender all; hold nothing out of the water.

“A life placed in the hands of God will surely be used by Him.” —Mathilda Wrede