It should come as no surprise that the concept of submission is unpopular. For many of us, submission is synonymous with defeat. It conjures up images of the strong-minded trampling the weak-willed. Today’s culture asks, Why would anyone willingly give away their power to someone else? However, this perception of submission is antithetical to the biblical witness. The Scriptures are clear: submission is at the very center of the character of the triune God, where Father, Son, and Spirit all mutually honor and defer to one another in love.
When Jesus submitted to the Father’s will on the night before His death, praying those unforgettable words, “Not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42), it was not due to any weakness on Christ’s part. No, as the Son had done from before the foundations of the world, He glorified the Father by pursuing the Father’s interests above His own. This is how Father, Son, and Spirit relate to one another—in love, mutually submitting to one another’s desires and seeking the other’s good. When Scripture calls for believers to submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21), we’re being invited into relationships that reflect the life and love of the Trinity!
It is only with this understanding of submission that we can wrap our minds around Paul’s radical challenge in his letter to the Philippians. He instructs Christians to look to their neighbor’s interests before their own, going so far as to urge them to humility, to “consider others as more important than [themselves]” (Philippians 2:3). This was the attitude of Christ, which means this is the attitude of God Himself. If submission is at the center of God’s existence, it makes perfect sense that He’d desire it to be at the center of ours as well.
One of the ways I’ve tried to cultivate a life of submission is by placing myself under the tutelage of mentors. Throughout my life, I’ve sought out godly men with admirable faith to speak into my life, hold me accountable, and encourage and instruct me in the faith. It’s rarely easy to give someone this level of authority over your life’s direction, but relationships like these help remind me that following Jesus means surrendering my will to God’s kingdom agenda. I give these men authority to guide me in the ways of Christ, and they have been some of the most meaningful relationships I’ve ever had.
But the practice of submission can enter our lives in a myriad of ways, as we seek to put the interests of others ahead of our own. Rather than squeezing in time to help those in need whenever it’s most convenient for us, let’s put acts of service on the calendar first, before filling our days with our own activities. Same goes for giving: set aside money to give away first, before budgeting out the rest. These are small ways we can build the principal of submission into our lives as we follow Christ’s example.
Written by Collin Ross
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99 thoughts on "Submission"
love this topic. So needed for today.
Not my will but Yours be done. Amen!
He pursued the Fathers interests above his own, so must I !
Submission is not an easy thing for me to do. So putting verses on the inside of my kitchen cupboards will be such a great way to remind me!
Well said, Tara. ❤️
Perfect idea, Lyndi…a good reminder. And it’s seems the kitchen cabinet would be appropriate since so often we as women serve from our kitchens.
Yes!!
Such a great reminder in a world that tells us the exact opposite! I attended a funeral yesterday and they shared that the woman taped bible verses on the inside of her kitchen cabinets so that each time she opened them she was reminded of how to live, love and serve others. I think Phil. 2:3 is going in mine!
Such a good reminder in a world that seems so divided that we are called to “submit(ting) to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Keeping that in mind makes it so much easier for me, no need to argue, the victory has already been won!
SRT really missed the mark on this for me. A man writing about women’s need for submission…. typical. I would have loved and I think we all deserved to hear this perspective of biblical submission from a female.
That tale is so encouraging Carol – God bless you for your attention and kindness to others in the community x
Coming under the truth of ‘who God is’ and ‘who I am in Christ’ – this is at the heart of submission. And the reality of this brings such freedom and peace, This absolute trust God allows me the freedom to follow Him without question, believing what He says to be true.
I am also a few days behind… But God’s timing is so great; I really needed to read this today for so many reasons. I have been very stressed out lately with many things on my shoulders; my father was recently diagnosed with dementia; work stress; stress with raising two teens amid the pandemic (like many of us); and trying to find some time for self care and spirituality… hence why I am many days behind in my reading. With so many things on my mind, it felt so good to read about submission to God and saying “Not my will, but yours be done Lord”. I actually feel like by doing this, all of my burdens and worries have been lifted. This is such a gift today!
I’m a few days behind and although I appreciated the topic of submission being understood on a Kingdom scale and not just a marriage one, like the writer, Colin suggests, I think STR missed an opportunity have a women write on this subject which has historically been exploited to oppress us.
“Not my will but yours be done on Earth as it is in Heaven”
Lord you know my thoughts, my joys, and my struggles. You love me and care for me as your daughter. You are a safe place for me to rest. Help me to be still and hear your voice. I want to seek your will. Align my heart with yours.
It’s always interesting to me how a single devotional can speak to each of us in a different way. My key takeaway was this:
“Let’s put acts of service on our calendar first, before filling our days with our own activities. Same does for giving: set aside money to give away first, before budgeting out the rest.”
I have been struggling to seek out new ways to serve others, in this pandemic, as a hard of hearing gal who has trouble reading lips behind the masks that we all wear (and should!!) Just this morning, an opportunity came my way to bless teachers in our community by baking cookies, fir the rest of the school year! I signed up and put some dates on my calendar, BEFORE I read the reading and devotional, in which I am actually a few days behind. God’s timing, of course, is *perfect* in every way!!
Thank you for this! ❤️
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Submission is a hard word for me to hear as well especially as a woman in a leadership role over girls who want to encourage them daily to be their best selves for the Lord and not for men. But submission IS mutual and based and built on respect ❤️ God bless you Tina! Praying for your healing process and thankful to YOU for the affirmation your words gave me (haven’t scrolled down to ChurchMouse)
Be submissive to god!
10so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow —
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth —
9For this reason God highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
I have never liked the word submission!
It holds too many bad and not very nice memories for me. My first marriage was abusive. I was hospitalised twice with serious injuries..
I do not like the word submission! Full stop!
As I was reading the devotion I realised it was not written by a woman, this went down like a led balloon.. I stopped reading.., I am not anti men, but it was a man who broke my ribs, broke my arm, gave me two black eyes and put me in hospital, a man who said in our marriage i had to be submissive.. so if a man is talking about submission.. I am going to claim up!
But God..
I read all your comments, I cringed I remembered, I agreed, I questioned..
This comment by Churchmouse..
Submission is some things but it is not other things. SUBMISSION IS NOT SUBSERVIENT. It is willfully choosing to serve. SUBMISSION IS NOT THE DOMAIN OF ONE GENDER OVER ANOTHER. It is to be mutual. Each one is to care for the other. SUBMISSION IS BORN OUT OF COMPASSION AND COMMUNICATION. It is not dominance nor dictatorship. It is not a power struggle. It is MUTUAL RESPECT.
Love one another. Submit to one another. NOT OVER ONE ANOTHER. But together. A beautiful act of communion.’ Gave me hope. Turned my thinking.
Thank You CHURCHMOUSE.
Thank you God for using my friend to open my eyes to something different to the way I have seen this word for so long..
Thank you Father, and yes, please, help me to be submissive to your calling.. your will.
Amen.
Blessings, always wrapped in love..❤
Great thought
A second sinless man drank this cup and battled satan, sin, and temptation in another garden and won and its impact touched all our life’s. I’m always amazed when I realize how things in Old Testament and the new
Wow. This was powerful for me today. Before this reading, I always thought of submission as something negative and “yucky,” like allowing people to use me as a doormat. Now I know that’s not the case at all. Submission isn’t about constantly doing for others against my will. It’s about doing things for others because I want to do them and because doing them puts joy in my heart.
This study has been a blessing since day one and I’m so appreciative of She Reads Truth and of God for putting it in my life.
Ashley I love this translation!
Thank you for your heart Angela Sutherland❤️
@ERB That’s the one! ❤️
I appreciated the insights from the devotional. If you go back to the Ephesians study, specifically episode 39 of the podcast, Raechel, Amanda and Trillia their guest tackle this topic from a women’s perspective.
@ashleysimpson @churchmouse. Your comments today were so helpful in giving me more to ponder research and pray about. Thanks for your insight ladies.
I am a day behind in my reading ladies and just read this today. I like so many of you got an uneasy feeling when I read “wives submitting to husbands”, “slaves submitting to masters” and admit I felt skeptical when I noticed the author of the devotional was a man. So many of us have experienced or seen these verses used to exploit. I think part of the problem is that so few people experience relationships where what’s expected of the man in these scriptures is upheld or even focused on. For that matter how many of us are the spiritual leaders in our household? Statistics are pretty grim regarding this. I don’t think it’s possible to fully explore this topic without acknowledging the concept of boundaries as well. Thank you everyone who took the time to comment. Reading this feed helped me process my thoughts and feelings and helped me learn new perspectives. I appreciate the respectful commentary delivered in an open and loving way, what a breath of fresh air!
Caitlin I agree. I found it very odd it was a male writing that of all lessons. It’s not sat well with me even a day later. And I wish they would have at least touched on how this message is used to harm and control.
Yes Annika I also cringe at these passages.
“This is how the Father, Son, and Spirit relate to one another – in love, mutually submitting to one another’s desires and seeking the others good. When scripture calls for believers to submit to one another – Ephesians 5:21 –
we’re being invited into relationships that reflect the life and love of The Trinity. – oh man that’s good! …….Invited into relationships that reflect the life and love of The Trinity. Thank you Collin Ross for that clear picture of true love and the reminder we are (or should be) looking up, not horizontal, for how to live. If I do that I will be less offended, less unhappy, less mindful of my own wants, rights and offenses.
Well said. I so agree!
I could not agree more with you Caitlin, and others who have mentioned their wish that this particular passage would have been written from a women’s point of view. Submission to their husbands has been the ruination of countless women and their children. At minimum, that should have been acknowledged.
Here’s the link: https://stantlitore.com/2018/06/25/misleading-translation-wives-submit/
@ ASHLEY SIMPSON
THANK YOU for sharing this!!! It gave me SO much clarity and actually set me FREE from years of paradigms!!!
I wanted to know who wrote the quote (it is Stant Litore) you shared so I could read/learn more… and WOW!!!! So much AMAZING insight!!!
I don’t know if SRT will allow me to share the link here… but I will try! Thank you again!!!! God Bless!!!
A great view point. I’ve never heard it taught this way, but it is correct.
I recently read this except written by an author on this Bible verse. I am in no way an expert in ancient languages, thus I wouldn’t want to put words in the Bible’s mouth (so to speak- haha) but it’s kind of interesting!-
“ Specifically, I suggested that rather than submit, in context, υποτασσομαι (hupotassomai) probably means to deploy yourself in support of your spouse against the enemy.
In fact, I would suggest that a better translation might be something like one of these:
“Wives, support your husbands.”
“Wives, deploy yourselves in support of your husbands.”
“Wives, arrange yourselves for battle for your husbands.”
Or even, less literally:
“Wives, go to battle for your husbands.”
“Wives, defend your husbands.” “
I believe verse 21 is key: “Submit to one another out of reverence to Christ.” All believers are called to submit to one another, in all kinds of relationships.
I love this reminder of submission. This is something that I am trying to learn more about and to put in practice in my life. It’s been hard for me to submit to my husband because I am very stubborn. But, I recently watched a video of Jackie Hill Perry and her husband Preston discuss the roles of headship and submission in marriage and it blew me away. Jackie mentions how submission in marriage for the woman is ultimately an act of worship unto God and that helped me to change my attitude of submission to my husband.
This is why they world is broken and in ruins….
For example, I can understand submitting to God’s will for my life. But wives submitting to husbands, slaves submitting to masters… I struggle with this concept in our world today.
This is a hard lesson for a feminist like me. Anyone else struggling with the discipline of submission and how to apply it to their life?
Submission takes so much strength and humility. But submitting my will to God’s places me in His safe space. In it, I am protected, provided for, and have peace. I am the sheep cared for by the Shepherd, the daughter safe in her Fathers lap. It is where I want to be. ❤️
Submission here is mentioned threefold: within marriage, submit to rulers of authority or government, and submit to God. I think this is the ultimate test of our trusting God enough to submit to mere men (who make mistakes). My husband makes mistakes. Government leaders are not perfect themselves. And will we obey to submit, knowing mistakes are bound to happen? We totally put ourselves at risk when submitting, don’t we? I once asked God this in prayers, I asked Him to redeem me from my husband’s mistakes if I obey to submit, and after praying that, I was prompted to pray for my husband to be a good merciful leader onto me, to have sharp wisdom in his decisions concerning me, then i realize how self centered this sounds. Man’s ego is strong, yet delicate- built by God for his woman to reverence, respect and submit to. Why does God design it like that? When I don’t submit (like having conflicts in points of view, etc), I see how it damages my husband’s image about himself, he will feel inadequate. My actions and attitudes directly build him up, or tear him down. The Bible says if someone takes your shirt, give him your coat also, go an extra mile if you were asked to go one mile, turn the other cheek if they strike you on one. Honestly I was afraid hearing those verses, will I do that in the context of marriage? or am I the one who strikes? I many times pray God to keep me safe from wrongful decisions, and if there should be any tyranny of power, deliver me from the evil intentions and mistakes of my husband if any. And praise God, so far so good, He is able to keep my husband in check. I pray that for all of us, who may have deep fears in submitting like me. May God of mercy deliver us from these fears, and provide for us an umbrella of protection through whom we submit to. Have faith in our husbands. God is able!
Submission is a hard thing to do. I like to be in control, so it can be hard for me to submit to others. Remembering that God is the one ultimately in charge helps me to submit to those around me.
Understanding the Bible’s definition of submission has been on my heart for so long but especially recently. This is so timely! ❤️
Would’ve loved to have listened and learned about submission from a woman’s perspective & voice. Especially when the verses on marital submission are brought up.
Never really realized that the trinity is in submission to each other. What a wonderful picture that is.
Loved realizing that the trinity are in submission to one another. So the concept is inherent with God.
It’s so important to keep in mind that every biblical discipline should firstly, be viewed in a personal way ( how do I apply this) and not from a world view (how is it applied by others-unless it’s for direction or reproof). My ex-husband misused this discipline as a means of control when I was a new believer, but with godly wisdom from others, I learned to lean into my role and to not be misled by his twisting of God’s word. It gave me the strength to stand by the Word of God and to pray for a revelation for my husband in his misuse of Scripture. It took a long while, but my obedience ultimately paid off. Unfortunately, there were other issues which caused us to separate and ultimately divorce, but my resolve to my role in our marriage brought me closer to God and a deeper understanding and relationship with Jesus.
As I think about submission, I can see how God has created an order and a hierarchy to life. I have to recognize His authority over my life.
Also, trying to remember that submission isn’t about inferiority or silence or about value or ability.
Submission is putting myself under (sub-) God’s purpose (the mission).
If God has chosen to place certain people in authority over me, how might my showing them respect please God and bear witness to His kingdom?
Agree!
Collin really drove home some good points to my and made me realize what submission is all about. I have a tendency to overspend on things that I don’t need right at that moment and then when the time comes I don’t have it for the things I need. I have though started making sure I have set amounts set aside for the necessities but after reading this I will adding some more for my tithing.
Be blessed today sisters in Christ.
“Impossible,” I keep writing in the margins. “No way.” We live in a broken world where power is exploited and divine words are twisted. That doesn’t mean that we can’t try, though, and that is all God asks of us.
I’ll admit that, like some SRT sisters, I was disappointed to see this was written by a man. He did have good insight! And I have appreciated the mix of authors more recently. But for this difficult text, someone with a bit more at stake would have been nice.
“Submission.” Gulp. That’s a word that gets the feathers ruffled. And for good reason given the fact that this passage has been used by sinful people to take it out of context and to use it to justify serious abuse. I think the SRT podcast on this passage does a great job of explaining submission in a healthy way. It’s from the Ephesians serious— I believe episode 39. And let us remember that despite how sinful people have used this text for evil, the text itself is divine and inspired by God. We can discern good from it. Let’s figure out how to find the beauty and let it shine through the darkness.
Understanding how Christ gave up His will in the garden knowing that He would be tortured and crucified for us on a cross til death and then trusting God with everything in Him helps me to see who I am to be and how I am to be. It’s giving up my will not for humans to rule wildly but for God to be glorified and His power be
seen. We submit in our “disagreement” with others to what God is teaching us and others.
Very well said Churchmouse. For those of you who still are struggling with the word, this explanation makes much sense. The world’s definition of submission and the Bible’s definition are quite different. Submission is a beautiful thing, if done God’s way – it is an act of love and respect. And to the SRT sister who suggested researching slavery during New Testament times, yes! It would give us a different perspective on how the term is used in the New Testament. Often times families chose to be slaves because they knew they would be well taken care of – given a place to live, work and eat. Here in Ephesains 6:5, the bondservants being referred to were believers. Obedience to their masters was a testament to their witness for Christ. God never asks or commands us to do the impossible. We submit because we have the power to do so through Jesus, and because we want to follow Christ’s example – He submitted to the Father, therefore we should willingly and obediently submit to Him. The world has “used” and “abused” this word so much that we sometimes tend to believe the devils lie. We are not to believe everything we hear, but are to “test the spirits to see whether they are of God.” 1 John 4:1
That was good! “Submission comes from a place of trust and love” we will submit naturally when we know that person has our best interest in mind
Not gonna lie, my stomach got in a knot when I saw that the writer of today’s devotional was a man. And then he used the words “submit to men” a few times. I am really grateful for his wisdom! And the reminder to seek out mentoring relationships! But the set up made my nerves get in a bunch, and I had to breathe deep and read it twice. In my walk, I’ve been most challenged when I’m asked to submit to people that I consider less wise than myself. I know that sounds arrogant! Bear with me. As a mother, I submit my needs to three little people’s needs regularly. Or, I may attend a bible study where the leader is just starting out, supporting and giving them space to lead. As a voter and business owner, I often vote for what I believe will benefit the least of these, even if it hurts my bottom line. The mutual submission in a marriage flavors my everyday, and definitely gets me farther on life and deeper in faith. Submission to God is the ultimate, and biblical relational submission goes so far beyond the often trotted out singular marital example.
I think that submission to man is much much different from the necessary act of submission to the Holy One, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Bible says to owe no man anything but to love him (Romans 13:8). Submitting to God’s will, seeking His face, following after Him is the only way that we can live holy and acceptable lives. Yes, God puts people in our path to provide Godly counsel but it is never to be a substitute for seeking after the Great Counselor and submitting to His will.
Submission naturally follows confession since it is a humbling of our Spirits to trust God completely with our lives. What always trips me up is my pride. I think it may be a generational curse- always needing to feel and prove I’m correct and more educated. I confess, repent. Confess, repent. Taking the step into submission is the only way out of the cycle. I think it’s because it is what forces me to stop and truly listen to God. I don’t have to have the answers. He never intended me to. He wants to lead me. The muscles in my neck and back can relax. God has this. I need only follow. Submission = surrendering will to follow my true Leader. The One who knows all and is way more equipped and educated.
The Lord is working on me having a healthy relationship with this word “submit”. It’s so easy to swing from one extreme idea of it to another. I can easily tend to allow myself to be run over by people in situations where I need to place firm boundaries. Or I can be the stubborn one who refuses to submit out of some false sense of superiority…it’s not pretty and not fun to admit, but it’s there, in me! I’m faced with learning to find the balance here especially when I’m left feeling worn out, mentally and physically because in my quest to be all I can be for those around me, I neglect to take care of myself and end up overwhelmed. I need to allow others to help me too. It’s not about being a martyr, but being a servant. And I think the balance is love. The motivation needs to be love. Loving others as Christ loves me, and actually allowing myself to believe that I am loved. When I trust that I am loved and cared for, it’s fuel to turn and pour that outward.
I hope this makes sense…so much processing in my tired mind lol.
I remember reading an SRT devotion about submission a few years back that really emphasized the mutual aspect of submission (Ephesians 5:21) and addressed the way the discipline of submission has been used to manipulate people throughout history (women and slaves especially). Today I’m reflecting on the way I submit to God and His will for my life. I loved Rea Queen’s comment that “submission is a doorway to peace” and Lyn’s comment that “God has a book for His strong-willed children and it’s called the Bible.” I am very strong-willed and struggle to submit myself to God’s will (especially when it comes to who I date). I liked the examples given from the devotion of putting acts of service on our calendar before we will it up with our own agenda. Last little thought, it submission MUST come from a place of trust and love. I often struggle to trust God’s ways are better than my ways. Lord, soften my heart and bring me to a place of trust, obedience, and submission in every aspect of my life – not just the ones that are convenient for me. Amen
LV I feel the same about those lines in scripture and was thinking about it again as I read this morning.
I understand this completely! I think though it’s more about unity in submission. Yes wife’s submit but husband “Love”. In an abusive relationship the love is lacked. Therefore I feel submission wouldn’t exist…: just my thought. I didn’t want you to feel your view wasn’t validated ❤️
Being invited into relationships that reflect the life and love of the Trinity!❤️❤️❤️
I immediately tense up when hearing these scriptures used and I always fear the “lesson” that follows. I’ve witnessed too many times these verses being used against women in terrible controlling relationships. I also cringe at the slaves obey your masters lines that were used to justify slavery. I wish the church was as vocal about the dangers of these verses being used to manipulate women as they are used in lessons.
Submission is a choice and not so much a feeling.
Yes, Lauren. Agree completely. I’m in the same place.
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Amen!
This was such good insight! Thank you for sharing. Submitting my time to him something that I forgot. I am very wasteful and could spend more time with God and being about his work.
The topic of submission especially when referring to the master slave relationship is hard and even impossible to believe. But I am determined to understand the true meaning of the discipline. God did not allow this words and precepts to be penned without real positive purpose. My prayer includes the ignoring the historical stain of submission and embrace the Spirit led benefit and beauty of submission
Hi Wendelyn! I encourage you to heavily research slavery at this point in time (when Paul is writing) in history. While the words can be extremely hard to chew on, it helps to peel back context much better.
Not gonna lie… I am one of those people that has a hard time with the word SUBMIT.
That word was used over and over in my younger life to ridicule, keep me silent and living in fear and doubt. It crushed the voice of God in me.
Satan finds great pleasure in manipulating, perverting and twisting the word of God, so we focus more on ourselves than on God. And this is what happened with the word SUBMIT in my life.
Satan perverted, manipulated and twisted what that word truly means.
…he took a people’s desire to please, serve, and do what’s right in the sight of God and used it against them (and me too!) Satan fed pride and ego and abused the power of submission. Instead of it being a loving act of worship, of fellowship, and a reflection Who God is… SUBMISSION was lorded over us!! It was made to make us feel small and unworthy. And anyone who stood up and said there’s something off here… (one of those brave and amazing people being my Mum) were ridiculed and admonished. It was an awful and very destructive spirit that wanted to completely squelch the Spirit of God.
But… as God always is, He was FAITHFUL!!!
Like water constantly dripping on a stone eventually molds the stone…God kept faithfully dropping true glimpses of His character into our midst and eventually the pride and ego (the stone in our hearts) made way for the TRUE character of God to be known!! And also made clear what the word submission means and what GOD says about it!!!
“submission is at the very center of the character of the triune God, where Father, Son, and Spirit all mutually honor and defer to one another in love.”
He RESTORED!!!
SO Thankful that God is always faithful to turn what the enemy meant for destruction into something magnificent and good!!!
…I may have a hard time with the WORD submit, but I LOVE submitting to God!!!
I agree with you. These words have been manipulated by people to justify the unjust. I pray my heart and mind can focus on what these words mean in the context of Christ – not man.
These are challenging texts to read and absorb, knowing that they’ve been used as weapons against women and to rationalize slavery. I aim to submit to God, as Jesus teaches. But the rest, hard to swallow.
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I feel like whenever anyone gets on this topic, our minds jump immediately to how it applies in a relational manner… but there are so many ways it applies in our everyday functioning and choices. How am I submitting to His wisdom with my time management?
How am I submitting to His wisdom with my finances?
How am I submitting to His wisdom with my reactions to people (especially the ones who REALLY bug me!!!!)?
Submission is (partly) saying, You know something here beyond what I know. You see something beyond what I’m able to yet see. So I trust your leadership with this.
Prayerfully considering all of this today… it can definitely be a tough one!!! :)
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Love that Kelly
Lord i submit myself to you.
Submission takes more strength than just about anything. But when I don’t submit I’m usually angry, resentful, self righteous, prideful, arrogant, difficult…well, things I don’t want to be. When I submit to whatever it is there is a feeling of relief and calm. Trust. It’s easy to submit to God Himself. But as it trickles down to relationships closer and closer to me it becomes more challenging and all the more necessary. God show me how to submit to those in authority over me. May I represent You in all I do. Amen.
Submission to people is mutual and voluntary. There is mutual honor and a deferring to one another in love and humility. Submission to God is a humble surrender. A letting go of my will to take hold of God’s will for my life. A coming under God’s “mission”.
Submission is a doorway to peace.
So true!
I wonder if the ability to submit well is tied to where we place our faith?
Jesus went into the garden of Gethsemane and told his disciples to pray for themselves that they would not fall into temptation. He was still concerned for them. Personally, He had already made the decision that if the Father’s will was for him to drink the cup, he would do it. He did not need the disciples prayers; they needed the prayers. The wonderful Philippians verses remind us that instead of Jesus commanding the authority He deserved, He came as a servant, emptied and humbly obedient, even to death. God the Son, to whom every knee will one day bow, came and died, for me and you.
Paul didn’t waver in the truth he spoke. He was both humble and bold in the message, but did not waver regarding the gospel. He knew to whom he believed.
If, then, I know whom I believe, and it is Jesus. If, then, I know He is the Triune God; the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If so, then, should I not live as one whose faith is solid and trust to be obedient and spirit filled for the days He has gifted me even in submission? And when, like the disciples I am on the cusp of adversity…or dead set in the midst of it, should I not respond in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with my heart to the Lord, giving thanks in everything. Because, in the strength of knowing where my faith is and in whom I believe. Worthy is the Lamb. Thank you, Jesus.
Amen!
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The lie: if you put others first no one will look out for you.
The truth: the Lord of All Creation is for me; I can obey His will to “consider others as more important than myself”
Thanks be to God
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I wish my mother had the book “The Strong willed Child’ By Dr, James Dobson because I was about as strong-willed as they come! But she didn’t. She didn’t have the book and she didn’t have God. The result was a rebellious teen that turned into a rebellious adult. Even as a young Christian I didn’t fully understand and submission. (I’ve heard that the only problem with being a living sacrifice is that we always want to crawl off the alter.)
Ive gotten a bit better since then, but I still have my days,
I’ve learned that the world will always try to serve you a curve ball. But narrow is the Way.
Having a mentor is good. I have several ladies in my life to help keep me accountable.
God has a book to help with His strong willed children, like myself… it’s called The Holy Bible. It always accomplished what it sets out to accomplish. So I am prayerfully climbing back on the alter and asking God that His will be done in my life, no matter what.
Submission is some things but it is not other things. Submission is not subservient. It is willfully choosing to serve. Submission is not the domain of one gender over another. It is to be mutual. Each one is to care for the other. Submission is born out of compassion and communication. It is not dominance nor dictatorship. It is not a power struggle. It is mutual respect.
Love one another. Submit to one another. Not over one another. But together. A beautiful act of communion.
I remember a pastor saying that the relationship of theFather, Son, and Holy wis the most unselfish relationship there is. I was reminded of this when I read: When Jesus submitted to the Father’s will on the night before His death, praying those unforgettable words, “Not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42), it was not due to any weakness on Christ’s part. No, as the Son had done from before the foundations of the world, He glorified the Father by pursuing the Father’s interests above His own. This is how Father, Son, and Spirit relate to one another—in love, mutually submitting to one another’s desires and seeking the other’s good. When Scripture calls for believers to submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21), we’re being invited into relationships that reflect the life and love of the Trinity! No selfish ambition there! God please help me to submit as You want me to. I need Your help. Help me to love You and be do what You to honor You.Amen