Many of us who enjoy freedom hate the word "Submission." We HATE it. We look at those we oppose, and say "You demand submission, but never give me anything in return!" We struggle and fight in our marriages, we have difficulty with our neighbors, we have problems with the government, and we complain, and shout, and yell about the injustice of it all. The Psalms teach us that crying out about injustice is not wrong, but it's the Lord we're to cry out to about it! There begins the act of TRUE submission: saying "Lord, I hate this, but you handle it!" There lies the secret of peace that surpasses all knowledge and understanding: placing our will, our cares, our joys, our worries, our gladness and our sorrows in to Almighty God's victorious righteous right hand.
The Cross is the ultimate act of submission. It's something Jesus says we need to pick up, daily after denying ourselves if we're to come after Him. Jesus came to this earth and submitted to the will of His father in everything. He did not argue about the Government, though the Herodians were cruel and self-seeking and betrayed Israel to Rome, who crucified any rebellion, imposed foreign laws and worship, and taxed people in to submission. He did not ask for better working conditions, or tax leniency. He, instead, fought for people to freely worship God in Spirit and Truth. Jesus did not submit to the Religious authorities, who usurped God's word for their own ends, but sought, instead, to correct understanding of it, that people may know God and Worship Him in true spiritual submission. IF we are to follow in His steps, this is what we also must do. Our lives, our families, our jobs, our schooling, our wants, wishes, desires, and everything we think, say or do must be brought in to submission to His will, just as He followed His Father all the way to the Cross, we too must deny our selves, pick up our crosses, daily, and follow Him.
Luke 9:23-37
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”
Philippians 2:1-11
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Comments