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| Submission to God |
Submission to God is an ongoing process in the Christian
walk. Submission means to come underneath God, to abdicate your thoughts,
plans, and ideas to God’s Word, and His plan for your life. This can be
confusing as we move through life, faced with choices and challenged by the
desires of our hearts.
As a noun, submission is the condition of being submissive,
humble, or compliant; an act of submitting to the authority or control of
another. As a verb,
submission is to yield oneself to the authority or will of another; to permit
oneself to be subjected to something; to defer to or consent to abide by the
opinion or authority of another.
Submission is not a natural concept. We are taught to be
independent, think for ourselves, and rely upon our own resources. Submission
has negative connotations: giving in, backing down, servitude, and cringing.
Submission to God is first to trust God and learn that He is
loving, kind, and has a good plan for your life. As you grow in God, you begin
to understand His Word is not written to hurt you. God understands the human nature;
He has given wisdom in the Word to help us live well.
As we come to understand God’s Word and trust Him, we begin
to see the opposition that exists in our hearts towards living a Christ
centered life. It is our natural desire to hurt someone who hurts us, but God
asks us to forgive. In our quest for success, we often look for ways to get gain
an advantage over another person, to promote ourselves, and contrive methods to
achieve our own ends.
David, a man after God’s own heart, contrived a way to be
with a woman who was not his wife. Then, when she became pregnant, tried to
find a way out of the situation.
God does not look for our strengths. God looks at our
hearts. 1 Samuel 16: 1-13 tells us how David was chosen to be Kind. When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and
thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” But the Lord
said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have
rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look
at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Then Jesse called
Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has
not chosen this one either.” Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said,
“Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” Jesse had seven of his sons pass before
Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.”So he asked
Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse
answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not
sit down until he arrives.” So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was
glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the
Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
What does this have to do with submission to God? David
trusted God and knew Him as his strength and his source. He accepted that God
had anointed him, and set out to learn to be a king. However, the power clouded
his judgment, and he carried out his own agenda.
What is amazing is that when David was confronted with his
sin, his inner man immediately went to his knees. He was, in his inner most
being, submission to God. (Psalm 51) What impressed me the most about David’s submission was verse 16: "For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I
would give it."
God is not looking for us to perfect ourselves. He is
looking for hearts that are imperfect, yet willing to trust Him and try. God
will create smooth paths within us. He will reason with us, and show us the
wisdom in living a life modeling His Son Jesus. Submission is trusting God and
letting Him change our heart and our life.
Psalm 51:1-19 (ESV)
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly
from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and
my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil
in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your
judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother
conceive me.
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you
teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the
bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out
all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit
within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit
from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing
spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will
return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and
my mouth will declare your praise.
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a
broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of
Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and
whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
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