SEE YOU AT THE OAK TREE: A MESSAGE ABOUT SURRENDER TO GOD
On June 14, 2026, I had the privilege of worshiping with the congregation at St. Paul’s Church in Cedar Falls and sharing a message from Genesis 35:4 titled, See You at the Oak Tree.
At its core, the message was about surrender to God and the reality that many of the things competing for our hearts don’t look dangerous at first. In fact, most of them look completely normal.
Work.
Success.
Relationships.
Comfort.
Approval.
Reputation.
None of these things are inherently bad. The problem begins when good things become ultimate things. When they begin influencing our decisions more than God does, they quietly become idols.
Jacob’s story reminds us that before God can fully move us into the future He has for us, there are often things that must first be surrendered.
When Approval Matters More Than Obedience
One of the personal stories I shared during the message came from my own struggle with wanting to fit in.
For years, I thought I was doing well spiritually.
At church, I looked like a committed Christian.
At home, I tried to live out my faith.
But during the week, especially at work, there were times when I cared more about being accepted than standing out for God.
I laughed at things I shouldn’t have laughed at.
I stayed silent when I should have spoken up.
I sometimes adjusted my behavior depending on who I was around.
Looking back, I realized that I had allowed other people’s opinions to gain influence over my life. The more approval I sought, the more power those voices had over my decisions.
That’s often how idols work.
They rarely begin as open rebellion against God. Instead, they slowly compete for the place in our hearts that belongs to Him alone.
And that’s why surrender to God is so important. We cannot follow Him fully while allowing something else to sit on the throne of our hearts.
Jacob’s Journey Back to Bethel
The story of Genesis 35 is powerful because Jacob wasn’t an unbeliever.
He had already encountered God.
Years earlier at Bethel, God had spoken promises over his life and revealed Himself in a remarkable way.
Yet even after that encounter, Jacob struggled.
He wrestled with fear.
He wrestled with compromise.
He wrestled with divided loyalties.
I think many believers can relate to that.
Sometimes we assume that once we encounter God, our struggles should disappear. But Jacob’s story reminds us that spiritual growth is often a process.
Eventually God told Jacob something simple but life-changing:
“Go back to Bethel.”
Go back to the place where you first encountered Me.
Go back to surrender.
Go back to worship.
Before Jacob could move forward, however, something needed to be addressed.
The Oak Tree and the Power of Surrender
Genesis 35:4 contains one of the most overlooked moments in Jacob’s story:
“So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem.”
That verse is easy to read past, but it’s incredibly significant.
Jacob didn’t organize the idols.
He didn’t lock them away.
He didn’t try to manage them better.
He buried them.
That act of burial was an act of surrender to God.
Jacob understood something many of us forget: some things don’t need better balance. They need a burial.
There are things in our lives that cannot coexist with wholehearted devotion to God.
They must be surrendered.
They must be buried.
The oak tree became a symbol of complete commitment and renewed faithfulness.
What Needs Buried in Your Life?
One of the most important questions from Sunday’s message is also the most personal:
What needs buried at the oak tree?
For some people, it may be approval.
For others, it may be control.
For others, it may be comfort, achievement, image, success, or even a relationship that has taken priority over God.
Whatever consistently pulls your heart away from Him deserves your attention.
Surrender to God isn’t something we simply feel during a worship service.
It’s something we choose.
It happens when we intentionally remove the things that compete with Him for first place.
That may mean creating new boundaries.
It may mean changing habits.
It may mean making difficult decisions.
But every act of surrender creates more room for God to work in our lives.
Why This Message Matters
Many Christians today aren’t struggling because they don’t love God.
They’re struggling because they have too many competing loyalties.
The pressures of life constantly fight for our attention and affection.
Work demands more time.
Success demands more energy.
Technology demands more focus.
Approval demands more compromise.
Without realizing it, we can slowly drift from God while still appearing spiritually healthy on the surface.
That’s why surrender to God remains one of the most important practices of the Christian life.
Jacob’s story reminds us that renewal often begins not when we gain something new, but when we finally let go of something that has been competing with God all along.
Speaking Engagement Context
Wesley Farnsworth shared this message at St. Paul’s Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa, on June 14, 2026. His speaking ministry focuses on faith, recovery, identity, leadership, and personal transformation, helping individuals apply biblical truth to everyday life through practical and relatable teaching.
Call to Action
Take a few moments this week and honestly ask yourself:
What is competing with God for first place in my life?
What influences my decisions more than His voice?
What needs buried at the oak tree?
Then take one specific step toward surrender.
Because revival may not begin with a dramatic moment.
It may begin with a decision.
A decision to place God first again.
And perhaps someday, when God calls us deeper into faith and obedience, we’ll look at each other and say:
“See you at the oak tree.”
About Wesley Farnsworth
Wesley Farnsworth is a speaker, author, and host of the Unmasked podcast. Through speaking engagements, writing, and ministry, he helps people navigate faith, recovery, identity, and personal transformation while encouraging them to live with authenticity, purpose, and hope.
