surrender Archives - Sharla Fritz

What Child is This: Enthroning Christ

Sharla December 11, 2018

On Christmas Day at our church, we have a traditional carol-sing. During this time, members of the congregation can request any Advent or Christmas song found in the hymn book. We all love this tradition and look forward to it every year.

If no one calls out “What Child is This?” I raise my hand and request this favorite carol. I love the minor harmonies, the haunting melody, and, of course, the words.

One of my favorite lines is:

The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

How amazing that the King of kings came not only to live on earth, but to live in my heart. How astounding that Christ came, not only to bring salvation, but relationship. When I pause to think about it, my heart sings in gratitude.

Enthrone Him

Unfortunately, I don’t usually stop long enough to think about this. Especially at Christmas time. I’m rushing around buying gifts, practicing for services, attending get-togethers. Not much time to think.

Maybe that’s why I love the words of the ancient carol. While I’m singing, “Let loving hearts enthrone Him,” perhaps I’ll pause long enough to consider what those words really mean.

The apostle Peter says something similar in his first epistle:

Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. (1 Peter 3:15 NASB)

The word sanctify means to set something apart from the rest as holy and sacred. Of course, Christ is already holy. We cannot make Him more sacred or sanctified. So this verse encourages us to change our personal view of Him. It directs us to set Him apart from all the rest of the stuff in our hearts.

Our English word Lord comes from the Greek word kyrios which means supreme in authority, controller, and by implication, Master. (Blue Letter Bible) Peter asks us to set Christ on the throne of our hearts–to give Him supreme authority in our lives.

As a recovering control freak, this does not come naturally to me. I like to plan out my schedule. I prefer to make the decisions in my life. Enthroning Christ means I allow Him to plan the schedule and make the decisions. Truthfully, there have been times when God and I have had differences about which way my life should go. I have struggled to release my grip on my life.

Loving Hearts

What I find so amazing is that God knows this. And so He sits back and waits. While He waits, He reminds me of His love–a love that compelled a Father to send His only Son to a broken world. A love that made a King come to earth as a baby in a cow’s feeding trough. A love that drove the Lord of the universe to a criminal’s death on a cross. All to save me.

Jesus waits because He will never force me to enthrone Him. He doesn’t want me to give Him control of my heart out of fear. He waits for me to do it out of love. “Loving hearts enthrone Him.”

So, as I sing “The King of kings salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone Him” this Christmas, I will remember the love of a King and prayerfully, thankfully, lovingly, seat Him on His rightful throne in my heart.

Next step: Listen to What Child is This and prayerfully sing along.

For another reflection on a Christmas carol click here.

You Are God’s Chosen Instrument: 3 Ways to Make Music in His Hands

Sharla September 8, 2015

Piano is my chosen instrument.

I started playing the piano when I was five years old and loved it from the beginning. The ability to make music with my own fingers seemed like magic to me.

After a year of piano, my parents bought a spinet organ and for about seven years I took lessons on that instrument, but it never had the same magic for me. When I switched back to the piano I was much happier. While a powerful organ can blow your socks off, an organist never has the same control of the touch and sound that a pianist does.

This week I was reading the well-known story of the conversion of Saul in Acts 9:1-19. I have read this story many times so I asked God to show me something new this time around.

And what I noticed was in the exchange between God and Ananais–the man God sent to Saul after Saul’s encounter with God on the road to Damascus. Ananais was pretty skeptical about going to see the man responsible for executing Christians all around the Roman kingdom. But God reassured Ananais that this was the plan:

“The Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.” Acts 1:15

Saul (or Paul–as he was later known) was God’s chosen instrument.

And I thought: What significance is in the phrase “chosen instrument”? If I am also an instrument of God, what does that mean?

First of all, when an instrumentalist performs, the audience rarely praises the instrument. They applaud the performer. As an instrument of God, I do not receive the admiration and acclaim. God does.

Second, the instrument cannot make music on its own. It relies on the hands of the performer. Yes, now there are marvelous machines that can be attached to pianos to make music automatically, but even there the machine is made and programmed by human hands. Music is dreamed up by talented composers. On its own, the piano can only sit on a stage and take up space. I sometimes think that I am like the machine that can produce something wonderful on my own, but in truth it is all in the hands of the Creator who made me, the Programmer who guides me, and the Performer who works through me.

Finally, I thought of how a piano doesn’t rebel in the hands of a musician. My piano doesn’t stop making sound if it doesn’t like the song I’m playing. It doesn’t run out of the room if it doesn’t agree with my musical interpretation. It doesn’t pout and complain if the song is too difficult. Here is where I am much different from my piano!

Paul was God’s chosen instrument to the Gentiles of his day. And he acted as an instrument should. He worked for the glory of the Performer. He relied on the power of the Creator. He didn’t complain if the song was too hard.

I believe we are each God’s chosen instrument. The Father lovingly chooses each of us to play for His glory. He works through each of us in various concert venues around the world. He produces beautiful music in those who yield to His gentle touch.

Next step: Reflect on your role as God’s chosen instrument. How have you made beautiful music in the hands of God? How have you performed for your own glory or tried to make music on your own?

Why Giving Up Control Isn’t Always a Bad Thing

Sharla May 12, 2015

“Sharla, you most certainly would be classified as a Field Marshal.”

My sister-in-law’s words caught me off guard. I was sitting at the dinner table enjoying a relaxed meal with my extended family. We were passing potatoes and sharing stories when my sister-in-law began talking about a personality test she was using at work. She was so excited about the test that she started to guess how each of us might be classified.

She went around the table, identifying each person: “You would probably be called a Mastermind.” “I think you would be a Champion.” “You might be a Healer.”

I wondered what I might be. Mastermind or Champion sounded impressive. But when my sister-in-law looked at me and called me a Field Marshal, I was stunned. How could she compare me to a bossy military commander who ordered troops?

Was she right? Did other people perceive me as bossy and controlling? Even though I wasn’t convinced I was the one wearing a field marshal uniform, my sister-in-law’s comment forced me to look at myself. Well, I did like to keep things organized. Like an army officer, I took charge of my surroundings: clothes arranged by color, kitchen utensils by use, and books by author’s last name. But did that make me a control freak?

OK, maybe I wore that field marshal uniform more often than I wanted to admit. I noticed my inner control freak often came out when working with others. I couldn’t help offering “suggestions”: “Don’t you think it would be better if we did it this way?” “I’ve found this method to be much more successful.” “I really don’t think that’s right.”

Then I realized I sometimes did the same thing with my heavenly Father: “God, my life would be so much better if You answered my prayers according to my plan.” “This is not the way my life should be going!”

When I looked at myself honestly, I couldn’t deny I had a few control issues. So I took my sister-in-law’s words to heart and tried to change my ways. I realized that my relationships with God and the people in my life could be improved if I stepped out of the commander’s uniform.

If we’re truthful, we all like to be in control. But when we’re ready to change, the first step is realizing that God is the One wearing the field marshal suit.

James 4:7 says,

“Submit yourselves therefore to God.”

The Greek word for submit is actually a military term meaning “to rank under.” In other words, if I am submitting to God, I am willing to obey Him. I am the one who takes orders, not gives them.

Okay, I admit this is not easy, especially for someone labeled a Field Marshal. It goes against everything in me to let God be in charge of my life. I want things to go my way.

But then I remember: God is God and I am not. No matter how badly I want to control the universe to my advantage, the truth is—God is in control. When I pull against His leading, I am only struggling out of His loving hand.

A surprising thing happens when I stop straining and allow my heavenly Father to lead me. When I let Him direct my life, I find that I’m happier than when I foolishly think I’m the one in charge. When I stop pounding my fists and demanding my way, I can open up my hands for God’s blessings.

This post was adapted from my book for teens and young women:

Divine Makeover: God Makes You Beautiful.

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