Surrender
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David Berry, 2002
Acrylic on canvas, 24" x 36"
From the collection of Carolyn & Daniel Montague
Inspired by The Life Line, by Winslow Homer (1884)
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Detail of People
Through complete surrender to God we discover the reality of God. I believe that at the heart of spiritual experience is faith in God. Complete surrender to God is the greatest expression of faith. Surrender must come with eyes open and clear intent. Complete surrender should not just come at moments in which we face overwhelming odds, but in the calm when it could seem when we are personally in complete control of our lives. Through surrender our own ego is revealed.
To me the suggestion of intimacy runs deep. Love at the level of spiritual intimacy has far more significance than the superficial implications of a strong man and the swooning woman bound together with intertwining limbs. The rescuer risks his own life to save another, and she gives her trust enough to leave the solid deck of a sinking ship to be dragged through the waves and surf in a wiggling, slippery breeches buoy by a total stranger who is wet, unsightly, impolitely forcefully and grasping her body without regard for any common courtesy. The commitment and trust shown is more than what unites many marriages and is more substantial than the faith and devotion of many who believe in God.
Surrender is a conscious endeavor, not simply one of exhaustion, so it must be done with eyes open. Surrender is not involuntary, meaning it is not some automatic inevitability that comes from being helpless; it is necessary to be aware of God and to purposely give up personal will and personal control to God. Surrender is not a matter of admitting helplessness; it is just that in times of helplessness surrender to God becomes a last resort when there is no more strength and no more hope in yourself. In those moments surrender to God just seems like a more practical alternative than at other times. After all, commitment and trust are never easy to give, especially unconditionally to God.
Other www.davidberryart.com
Articles Related to Surrender
The Story of Homer's The Life Line
and the Inspiration for Creating Surrender
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