Day 17

Day 17:  Submission

       Through out my life as a Christian there are many things that have taken me a while to absorb, but few things that I am totally defiant of.  Submission was the one for me.

       Growing up being submissive in my family meant you were weak, on the floor, and being kicked repeatedly no matter the circumstance. If you admitted being at the bottom end of the barrel you were taken advantage of emotionally.  This is was the world I lived in. If I showed any sign that I was not stronger than the person that was trying to ‘overpower’ me, I would be abused. 

       First enter my husband.  As a potential suitor I made sure he knew his place.  I was in control and would be in control no matter what.  I would succeed and I would not be a rug that anyone would walk over or take advantage of.  I would not be abused emotionally.  He was patient.  He didn’t want to take advantage of me, harm me or show any disrespect. 

       Second enter hard times with aforementioned husband.  I was determined that he would not win!  In no circumstance would I be walked over.  I would be a part of every decision, every action, and every happenstance. 

       But God…..  As in an earlier post I said that a lot of really good things happen after the words But God.  And this is no different. 

“For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.” Roman 8:7

       

       I could not see the trees for the forest, as my daddy used to say.  I was so determined to be on top and not let anyone take advantage of me that I failed to see what love my husband had for me and what love God had for me.  In a loving relationship, submission is allowing God and your husband to lead you.  Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church, a righteous leading and loving.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.  In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.”  Ephesians 5:25-27

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2

       Submission is an offering to God, a sacrifice to Him.  It is not allowing others to take advantage of you or make you the rug they walk all over.  It is about being a loving member of God’s family. Submission is not as much action as it is attitude, an attitude of allowing God and our husbands to lead us in a righteous relationship.

I have learned the attitude of submission to God and in turn submission to a loving husband, a husband that first submits to God then in turn leads his house and his wife in a loving way. 

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” 

James 4: 7-10

 Submit yourselves to God, resist the devil, come near to God, purify your heart, humble yourselves and HE will lift you up.  Submission allows the Holy Spirit to work through you. In humbling our selves to the Lord, submitting our selves to Him and our husbands the Lord will lift you up to the places of Immeasurably More.

       Once I got rid of the defiant attitude and allowed the authority of Christ and my husband to lead me the Holy Spirit began to move in me revealing the Immeasurably More that His power could do in and through me. 

Is there a place in your life that you need to change your attitude toward submission to God and authority, including your husband?  Husbands, do you need to reevaluate your leading of your wife?