If you had any siblings growing up then you may have played a wrestling game that ended when someone said “Uncle!” It was always a lot of fun except when you are the youngest in the family so there was always that disadvantage. Then as you grew older it became more of a pride thing to absolutely not surrender no matter how defeated you were.

     Saying “Uncle” just wasn’t going to happen all willy nilly. No sir, you waited until that very moment right before losing consciousness before giving up! Pride is such a powerful emotion. It will make us do some pretty dumb things. Pride can keep us from enjoying a wonderful life. We just don’t like to feel the agony of defeat. We think we can do it ourselves and we’ve been told such things all our lives.

     It takes great humility to admit we can’t do it. It’s hurts our pride to admit to ourselves that we are not enough. Not strong enough. Not smart enough. Not tough enough. Until we are willing to admit defeat we will never truly appreciate victory. When it comes to our own salvation from sin we simply are unable to save ourselves. We’re not good enough. We’re not holy enough. We’re incapable of keeping ten rules.

     Here’s the good news of today’s verse. It gets crazy. Someone already said “Uncle” in our place. He gave himself over to death on a cross in our place. He died so we could live. He suffered so we could be healed. He rose from the dead so we wouldn’t fear death anymore. Our new life in Christ begins the moment we surrender to him. We humble ourselves before him recognizing that he is more than enough.

     One day when creation has been swept away all creatures of our God and King will bow the knee and confess that Jesus Christ indeed is Lord. Some will do so very gladly with joy, shouting, and laughter. Others will do so very reluctantly with a hard heart of defiant pride but will do it nonetheless. I know which group I will be in. Do you?

 

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