Submission

I have been doing a lot of thinking about submission, and what exactly it means.  For me, I guess I never really took it too seriously.  Why you ask? Well why would I take submission into account when I am always right? When my way is the best way?.. You see.. That is the exact problem! I can  be so stubborn and rebellious sometimes and that is not good.  Submission never really has played a huge role in my life because I haven't truly understood it.  I grew up thinking it was good to be an independent woman who knows what you want.  A woman who doesn't let other people walk all over you.  A woman who has her own thoughts and isn't afraid to express them.  I still think that those are all great things, but can also be dangerous when you think your way is the only way, and your opinion is always right.

The past few weeks the topic of submission has come up a lot! The chapter we were assigned to read in the book "Celebration of Discipline" focused on submission.  Last weeks sermon at church was focused on submission.  As if that's not enough proof that the Lord wanted to teach me something about submission He brought it up again this morning!  As I sat here in my cube at work, I felt like God wanted me to read in Hebrews.  So I pull up my e-bible (online bible) and found Hebrews.  I decided to start at Hebrews 4.. I read through Hebrews 4 and got to Hebrews 5.  As I read on I was not surprised that the topic of submission was brought up again.  This time it became real to me.

"During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission"

-Hebrews 5:7

Wow! I was really blown away!  Submission never really appealed to me before reading this.  It wasn't until this connection was made that I truly grasped the important act of submission.  If I want to be more like Jesus, which I do, I want to mimic everything He has done.  Jesus was the king of reverent submission! He gave His life up on the cross to show this!  I am so silly to think that my way is the best way!  The best way for me, is to follow the path of Jesus and if that means submission then I need to be all about that.  

Reverent submission isn't this wimpy thing either! Which is probably the reason I had such trouble with it. 

I looked up the definition of reverent and it is a very honorable characteristic! The word reverent means humble, respectful.  "feeling or showing deep and solemn respect".

The word submission means: surrendering power, yeilding.

Reverent submission means you literally have to die to yourself to make others better than you.  You humbly yield towards other because you have deep respect for them.  It is completely opposite of everything we are used to hearing in this world.  We are always told to put ourselves first, to take care of ourselves before anyone, to make sure we have everything we need before we do anything else, especially for others.  We grow up our whole lives thinking that we are number one! Thankfully we are set free from that! There is such freedom that comes with not having to get our own way all the time.  We no longer have to argue our point to prove that we are right.  We no longer have to weasel our ways into getting what we want.  We are called to live and act like Jesus, and in doing that we are called to submission.

And look at all the great things that come from submission.. It said in Hebrews 5:7 that Jesus was offering up loud cries and tears to God to save Him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.  Because Jesus was obedient he was heard by God.  He was in tune with everything God wanted to do, and could walk in full freedom because He knew that the path he was walking was the right one because he was submitted to God.  

Even though submission sometimes gives people a bad taste in their mouths, it is a beautiful thing.  When looking at submission I have found that it is one of the greatest acts of love.  Not only to God, but to the other people around us.  That is the life I want to live!