Yes, Lord!

The author was a native of Pennsylvania, graduated from Princeton College (now University) in 1880 as president of his class, and later studied law and was admitted to the bar. He was influential in the work of YMCA and in the founding of Africa Inland Mission. An invalid most of his life, he died in 1937 at the age of 79. His name is James H. McConkey; the title of his book is The Surrendered Life.

With the Scriptures as his guide, this author urges Christians to make a total consecration of themselves to Jesus Christ, to live in total surrender to our Lord. Here are a few excerpts:

“Christ died not only to bring men into the Kingdom but to make them servants of the King. He wants not only saved sinners, but surrendered saints.”

“Consecration ... does not confer ownership; it presumes it. It is not an order to be His, but because we are His, that we yield up our lives. It is purchase that gives title; delivery simply gives possession. Therefore, the question is not 'Do I belong to God?' but 'Have I yielded to God that which already belongs to Him?’”

“When we whisper within ourselves, 'I can say "Yes" to God, except in this one thing,' we may be assured that this one thing will work spiritual disaster in our lives.”

“The surrendered man sees things as never before. To him the Word of God becomes a new book. It thrills; it quickens; it convicts of failure, of unChristlikeness; it searches and lays bare the innermost depths of the soul. It discloses the holiness of God; it stimulates growth; it begets new aspirations; it stirs to zeal and service once unknown.”

“The surrendered child of God soon finds himself walking a pathway of separation. To him, things which before were only doubtful are now seen to be sinful.”

“What we are becomes the measure of what we can do or, rather, what God can do through us. We must be Christ-like in inner life, if we would be Christ-like in outward deed. A holy God needs a holy instrument through which to live His holy life.”

Someone may ask, Aren't all Christians living in total surrender to Jesus Christ? The answer of both Scripture and discerning Christians is a resounding "No!" Sadly, many Christians are failing to possess their present, full inheritance in Christ. They are living lives characterized by defeat instead of victory, lives marked by selfism instead of marked by Christ, lives of worldliness, carelessness and lukewarmness. If they were ever genuinely converted, they have failed to go on, grow up in Christ. Their thirst for God had diminished; their hunger for spiritual reality and fullness has abated.

God exhorts all who have come to initial faith in Christ to make a total consecration of themselves to God, to surrender themselves fully to Him, and thereafter to live a life of total surrender.

“Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.”(1)

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”(2)

“[L]et us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”(3)

Methodism's founder, John Wesley, once observed: "From long experience and observation, I am inclined to think that whoever finds redemption in the blood of Jesus–whoever is justified–has the choice of walking in the higher or the lower path. I believe the Holy Spirit at that time sets before him the 'more excellent way', and incites him to walk therein–to choose the narrowest path in the narrow way–to aspire after the heights and depths of holiness–after the entire image of God. But if he does not accept this offer, he insensibly declines into the lower order of Christians; he still goes on in what may be called a good way, serving God in his degree, and finds mercy in the close of life through the blood of the covenant."(4)

God wants all His sons and daughters to live with a "Yes, Lord" at all times.

The legendary missionary to India, E. Stanley Jones, remarked on this subject, "Apart from self-surrender all our surrenders to God are marginal and unimportant.... To try to cultivate the spiritual life around an unsurrendered self is like trying to keep healthy around a malignant cancer. Only when the self is surrendered can you cultivate your spiritual life around the new Center–Christ, and Christ in control. Then everything else falls into its place."(5)

Through the centuries the Church has always had a thirsty-hearted band of men and women who would not be easily satisfied. Whenever these noble saints viewed the land flowing with milk and honey, they cried out with Joshua and Caleb of old, "Let us go up at once and possess the land!" These panting trailblazers knew God didn't intend for them to live in the wilderness; they were destined for a higher life, a better land, a more excellent way.

Acts 9 reports what should be the instinctive language of every believer. This chapter narrates the conversion of the apostle Paul when on his way to the city of Damascus. Blinded by the revealed glory of God, he is led by hand into the city by his traveling companions.

In the city lived a Christian man by the name of Ananias. The Lord selected this disciple to minister to the now spiritually awakened Saul (later called Paul). The Scripture reads, "The Lord called to him in a vision, 'Ananias!'

"'Yes, Lord,' he answered."(6) Whereupon the Lord proceeds to instruct him.

Here's the point: Ananias's spoken response to the Lord's revealed presence was a "Yes, Lord." As the narrative unfolds we discover he needs more information and clarification from the Lord, but there was no shred of resistance on his part, no rebellion, no going his own way. There was submission to the revealed will of God, subordination of his own interests to the higher interests of His Lord, a readiness to respond to His trusted Master's voice.

What about you? Have you learned the blessed life of total consecration, total surrender? Have you discovered the revealed secret of "Not I, but Christ"? Is the language of your heart "Not my will, but thine be done"? Is it the habit of your soul to respond "Yes, Lord." Or possibly you resemble our cock-a-poo, Hank.

There are times when my wife, Emily, or I, want Hank to come back inside the house after being let out. In all these ten years we've had him, he still doesn't always obey us immediately. More often than not, he has to follow his marked routine before he'll return inside. However, once I get gruff and start walking in his direction, he'll break his ritual and reluctantly start for the door (I know, you're dog is better trained!).

Will we never learn? How long will we struggle before we surrender ourselves fully to the Lord–and remain surrendered? Have we grown so accustomed to pursuing our own way until the life of holiness, the path of obedience, the surrendered life has been drowned out by the persistent cry of the flesh? Have we sacrificed a good conscience on the altar of convenience and selfism?

Dear reader, if there is still a flicker of the light of God in your heart, be encouraged! Fan what light you have with a total surrender to Jesus Christ today. Allow God to make His home in your heart. Submit yourself fully to the Lord. Don't make the Lord shout at you. Turn yourself over completely to your heavenly Potter. In the words of Ananias, will you now pray from the deep of your heart, "Yes, Lord"?

For the child of God who earnestly and sincerely prays this prayer, all other yeses are simply an affirmation of this life-transforming Yes.

In conclusion, let's once again listen to the counsel of McConkey: "Christ died not only to bring men into the Kingdom but to make them servants of the King. He wants not only saved sinners, but surrendered saints."

Lord, I yield myself to Thee,
All I am or hope to be;
Now and through eternity,
With Thy Spirit fill me.(7)

– Soli Deo Gloria –

Scripture references are taken from the New International Version of the Holy Bible.

1. Romans 6:19
2. Romans 12:1-2
3. 2 Corinthians 7:1
4. Quoted by Thomas Cook in New Testament Holiness, p. 6
5. A Song of Ascents by E. Stanley Jones, p. 231
6. Acts 9:10
7. From Lord, Possess Me Now, I Pray, a hymn by Oswald J. Smith