Story Behind the Song: Matt McChlery Writes "Sweet Surrender" After a Bout with Cancer

Zimbabwe-born worship pastor Matt McChlery has released his new single "Sweet Surrender" after a bout with cancer.  The single has been released and handpicked by Homegrown Worship.

We've all had moments in our lives where our best laid plans haven't come to fruition and difficulties ensue. Matt McChlery's latest release, 'Sweet Surrender' tackles those challenges head on. At the heart of the song the message is simple: Jesus wants our surrender to Him through thick and thin.

Musically intricate whilst remaining uncluttered, it's a powerful message over an interesting arrangement. With Of Monsters and Men-style gang-vocal hooks, acoustic pickings, moving piano motifs, and muted drum beats, this reflective song would find a home in the life of any church, from small groups to megachurches and everything in between. 

In 2016 I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a type of cancer. This led to a journey with God through a very dark time. However, one of the lessons I learnt through this was that God was with me. He was carrying me and He was fighting for me. All I had to do was to surrender to Him.

I have now been in remission for over two years - praise God!

So this big life lesson from 2016 will always be in the back of my mind, especially when dealing with topics such as surrender.

Fairly recently God had been challenging me to surrender completely to Him - not just to give Him certain sections of my life. He wants it all!

Jesus came and died on the cross so that we might live. If He gave his all for us, then we need to respond by giving our all to Him. I need to surrender all of me - all of my will, all of my hopes, all of my dreams, all of my desires, so that He can fill me with His will, His dreams and His desires!

When we ask Jesus into our lives this is the deal we are making - to make Him LORD. He becomes the boss. He is in charge. His will, not my will be done. I need to step back and bow down in sweet surrender.

In Matthew 16:24-15 Jesus says "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it."

We are called to die to ourselves every day so that in each day we might live for Jesus! 

Matt McChlery has been writing songs for 25 years. After recording his first single in 2002, he won various awards for his songwriting and blog, racking up airplay on hundreds of radio stations around the world, including the occasional appearance on television. His songs are also sung in numerous churches around the globe.

Songwriting runs in the family. His great, great, great grandfather, Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould wrote the classic hymn 'Onward Christian Soldiers'. Matt believes he carries some of the anointing as part of a generational blessing, as well as an individual mantle and calling upon his own life for songwriting and leading worship.

Matt, who was born in Zimbabwe, lives with his wife Verity and their two children in the UK. He is a Deacon at his local church - The King's Church, Wisbech - where he preaches, leads worship and works on the strategic development of the church. As well as being an author, he continues to point people to Jesus in all his does. 

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