The Surrender

He was the King. From all eternity he was absolute ruler over all things – the one who was in control. Nothing existed except what he willed and spoke into existence, and all things were dependent on him. And it was his good pleasure to create the world, and when he created the world, a world which he declared to be very good, full of rich green forests, deep rivers and springing grasslands, he added one more thing – freedom! He could have created a world that was completely as he willed it, without a thought or action anywhere outside of his sovereign control, but, even with the foreknowledge of what it would cost, he chose something very different, and declared it to be good. And this was the morning of the world, shining clear and beautiful.

But the clouds gathered and the world became dark. The man and the woman used their freedom to turn away from his love into darkness and death, and his beautiful world became a grim and painful place, full of thorns and thistles and bitter labour. And his children walked away from him, and continued to walk further away, into nightmare and horror. But still he sustained the world in being, and the sun shone and the rain fell, and blessing and promise took root even in the midst of their misery. And some sought to turn back towards him, and follow the hope and the promise, but others saw no substance in promises, and preferred the solid earth beneath their feet to the hope of an unseen land. But even the best of them could not overcome the darkness and destruction of death to get there.

And the centuries passed, and the long sorrow that men call history unfolded, and there was no relief from darkness except the promise that still hovered there. But the King had no intention of leaving them desolate, so when the appointed hour arrived, he came into their world himself, not in his might and overwhelming majesty , not to take control, as he could so easily have done; but he came as one of them, as the least of them – he came as a tiny child. And most disregarded him.

The years passed and he grew to manhood, and he was not as other men (for all power and authority was his) and yet he was as other men, with no beauty or riches, splendour or prestige to distinguish him. He spoke truth into their confusion, and lovingly healed the hurting and the broken; yet many hated him for his love and truth demanded that they change. And he, the king from all eternity, let them take control, and surrendered himself into the hands of his enemies, and they decided to destroy him. So they went through a kind of legal proceeding, for they prided themselves that they were a civilised people, and, having duly sentenced him to death, they proceeded to kill him in the most barbarous way that they knew. And he surrendered to every pain, horror and indignity and did not resist them, even though there were legions of angels ready to obey the least of his commands.

And he surrendered to death and hell, and they buried his body and imagined they were free. But there, in a deep mystery beyond human understanding, he overcame death and hell, and they had to surrender to him. For he was in control the entire time, and bent all things unto his will, so that there should be nothing in all creation that could separate his children from his love.