Easter at St Michael’s Church, Stoke Gifford
March 25th, 2026‘This is my surrender.’
On the first warm morning of spring, I watched a man stand alone at the edge of the outdoor pool in Clevedon. He slipped off his shoes, rolled up his trousers, and stepped into the cold water. For a moment he hesitated, eyes closed, fists clenched. Then he took a breath, opened his hands, and let himself be immersed. When he came back up, gasping and laughing, there was something unmistakable on his face: release. Whatever he had been holding onto had finally been let go in the cold waters.
Easter tells a story like that, but on a far greater scale. At its heart is surrender — not weakness, but the bravest act of trust the world has ever seen. Jesus’ journey to the cross was not forced upon him; it was chosen. In the garden of Gethsemane, facing betrayal, suffering, and death, he prayed words that echo through history: “Not my will, but yours be done.” This is my surrender.
The cross is often misunderstood as a tragic accident or a grim necessity. But Christians believe it is the ultimate act of love. Jesus surrenders control, safety, and even life itself, placing everything into the hands of the Father for the sake of the world. Easter reminds us that surrender is not the end of the story. The tomb is empty. Death does not get the final word.
The resurrection reframes what surrender means for us. We often resist it because we equate surrender with loss — of identity, freedom, or strength. Easter says otherwise. When Jesus rises, the surrendered life is revealed as the victorious life. Power is redefined not as domination, but as sacrificial love. Hope is reborn not through self-preservation, but through self-giving.
“This is my surrender” becomes more than a phrase or a line in a song; it becomes a posture. It is the daily decision to lay down fear, pride, and self-reliance, trusting that God can bring life out of what feels finished.
Easter speaks into a world weary from striving and control, offering a quieter, deeper invitation: let go.
Like the man in the pool, surrender may feel frightening at first. But Easter promises that on the other side of release is resurrection — new life, restored hope, and a love stronger than death itself.
Revd Canon Simon Jones, Vicar St Michael’s Stoke Gifford
