The Offering of the Natural: Surrendering for Transformation
In his devotional today, Oswald Chambers examined a deeply insightful truth about our walk with Christ: the relationship between the natural and the spiritual. Drawing from Galatians 4:22, he highlights the story of Abraham’s two sons—Ishmael, born of the bondwoman, and Isaac, born of the freewoman—as a picture of the tension between what we produce in our own strength and what God accomplishes through His Spirit.
Chambers reminds us that this isn’t about dealing with sin but understanding how the natural aspects of our lives must be surrendered and transformed to align with God’s purposes.
The Natural vs. the Flesh: A Crucial Distinction
At first glance, you might wonder if “the natural” Chambers refers to is the same as Paul’s concept of "the flesh." After all, Paul teaches us to “crucify the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24). However, there is a significant difference that helps us understand Chambers’ point more clearly:
The Natural: Chambers uses this term to describe the raw material of our humanity—our talents, desires, instincts, and abilities. These are not inherently sinful but require transformation by God to serve His purposes.
The Flesh: In Paul’s writings, the flesh represents the living patterns of the old sinful nature, the crucified old man, the part of us that resists God and seeks to live independently of Him. The flesh corrupts the natural, twisting it into self-serving patterns.
Think of it this way: the natural is what God has given us to steward, while the flesh is the distortion of the natural due to the sin that “dwells in our members.” Chambers emphasizes that the natural must be offered to God so it can be transformed by His Spirit, while the flesh must be crucified and left behind.
The Lesson of Ishmael and Isaac
Chambers draws a powerful parallel to Abraham’s story. Ishmael represents what Abraham produced through human effort and natural reasoning—his attempt to fulfill God’s promise in his own strength. In contrast, Isaac represents what God produced through His promise and power—a work born of the Spirit.
Before Abraham could fully offer Isaac to God as a sacrifice of faith, he first had to let go of Ishmael. This wasn’t because Ishmael was inherently evil, but because he represented Abraham’s reliance on his own natural abilities rather than trusting God.
In the same way, we are called to surrender the natural aspects of our lives—our talents, plans, and even our limitations—so they can be transformed into something spiritual. Left unsurrendered, the natural becomes a tool of the flesh, mocking the life of Christ within us and creating confusion and instability.
The Call to Surrender
What does it look like to offer the natural to God? Chambers reminds us that this is not about destruction but about redemption. The natural—our abilities, desires, and plans—must be placed fully in God’s hands, allowing Him to shape them into vessels for His glory.
Talents: A natural ability, like leadership or creativity, can be used for self-promotion or surrendered to God to serve His kingdom.
Desires: A natural longing for love or security can lead us to unhealthy dependencies or be transformed into a deeper trust in God’s provision.
Limitations: Even our weaknesses, when surrendered, become opportunities for God’s strength to shine through us (2 Corinthians 12:9).
The Role of Obedience
Chambers writes, “What God ordained was that the natural should be transformed into the spiritual by obedience, not by sacrifice.” This reminds us that transformation happens as we yield to God’s Spirit, step by step.
Jesus exemplified this perfectly. Though He was fully God, in His humanity He lived in complete dependence on the Father, saying, “I do nothing on My own but say only what the Father taught Me” (John 8:28) and “The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do” (John 5:19). His natural life was fully surrendered, allowing the Father’s purposes to flow through Him.
We are called to follow His example—not striving to offer God something of our own making, but resting in obedience as He leads.
Living in Transformation
When we surrender the natural to God, He doesn’t discard it—He redeems it. Like Hagar and Ishmael in the wilderness, God meets us with provision and promise when we surrender to Him. He transforms our natural abilities and desires into instruments of His glory, making the ordinary extraordinary.
This surrender is not about loss but about gain:
We gain His peace instead of striving.
We gain His direction instead of confusion.
We gain His power instead of our limited strength.
As Chambers beautifully puts it, “The fiery furnaces are there by God’s direct permission. It is mastery in circumstances that is needed, not mastery over them.” Transformation happens when we trust God in the middle of our challenges, surrendering control and allowing Him to work.
A Prayer of Surrender
Lord, we acknowledge that every natural gift, talent, and desire we have comes from You. Today, we choose to offer them back to You, trusting You to transform them for Your purposes.
Thank You for showing us that surrender is not loss but gain—gain of Your peace, direction, and power. May our lives reflect the beauty of Your work in us as we walk in obedience and trust, following the example of Christ.
Amen.
Reflection Questions
What “Ishmael” in your life might God be asking you to surrender—something you’ve created in your own strength?
How can you trust Him to transform the natural into the spiritual in your daily walk?
As we surrender, God takes the natural parts of our lives and makes them extraordinary. Let’s walk together into the joy and freedom of transformation, trusting His Spirit to lead us every step of the way.