Pastor Jeanne Winter: Surrender (a poem)

Jeanne Winter is a pastor at Zion United Methodist Church in Kokomo, Indiana.  She and her husband, Sandy, have 3 married children and 7 grandchildren.  God has given her a passion to work with folks with special needs. 

 She offers this poem to us at a time when the global COVID-19 epidemic overwhelms the world, upending our lives and plans. 

 Winter was among the Indiana United Methodist pastors who recently shared about how their congregations are adapting their ministries and serving their communities amidst this Coronavirus outbreak, as summarized in this article. 

Surrender

Wave the white flag

It’s not about you

We cannot do this in our own strength

We do not have enough wisdom.

But we’ve associated surrender with defeat

We are losers.

But God’s economy is different.

We say with Paul, “It is no longer I who live;

It’s Christ that lives in me.”

Surrender our plans, hopes, and dreams,

Surrender our will, our ways.

We are crucified with Christ

Dying to self

Living for Him.

Being beaten, battered and bruised.

So that someone can receive grace

Jesus surrendered so we could be forgiven.

Our surrender will bless someone

In any trial, crises, or disaster,

We can fight, despair, and wail

Or we can surrender and watch God work

God’s perfect timing

We have reasons, arguments, and justifications

But when we say I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me

and gave himself up for me

We must believe God has bigger and better plans.

So today, this day, this hour

I surrender myself freely to the will and work of Christ Jesus

With joy, I’ll see the resurrection.

JSWinter, 3/20