I'm challenged to consider the behavior of submission. My thoughts are not
necessarily in any logical order.
A phrase that has come to mind when
considering how Jesus submitted to the Father:
submission happens when one
has "the right, the reason, and the resources" to assert their power over
another, yet they choose to yield to the other for the cause of a higher
purpose.
Of course, Jesus is the example. Looking at the totality of
his life, and certainly down to his final hour, yielding (submission) was his
way. So, why do we, and particularly we women, have such a hard time with
submission? Could it be that we haven't known/understood to whom we are
submitting? Or, the far reaches of its purpose?
Perhaps we have only
seen it from a human standpoint. Maybe it's one of those other things that we
have spent a lifetime (certainly, since the fall of man) trying to do for
ourselves. Yielding requires humility and absence of pride. Perhaps we see it
as a way to try to get for ourselves that which Father already freely provides
for us… when we know him.
It's likely that we see submission, or
yielding to another fallible human, as weakness. But again, possibly we haven't
seen that in our yielding to each other, there is freedom from the tyranny of
self-fulfillment. To not walk in submission (ultimately to Father), is
to invite terrible burden upon oneself, perhaps a burden which we are not even
equipped to bear. An encumbrance that can only bring with it division, strife,
and suffering.
I think of submission as a yielding to another,
however, it really can't be genuine apart from trust in that other. So,
I'm entertaining the question of what happens when we can't trust another.
Then, what do we do? Do we give up on the notion altogether? Or, could
there be some other solution?
Think about: Jesus submitted to the
Father, yet He was a co-equal with the Father. However, He still chose
to submit, especially in (and one might say, because of) his humanity.
Perhaps, it could be said that all three, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit are in constant submission to one another. Now there's a thought
for ya. But, how can that be? Isn't there some hierarchical positioning?
Although, Scripture does not seem to indicate a hierarchy. Sometimes
it's easy to assume that the Father must have a higher standing than Jesus, his
son. But then what does one do with the Holy Spirit? Where does
He fall on the totem pole? That's really hard to wrap my brain around.
This equality deal. And, then there's that nagging, "if you've seen Me, you've
seen the Father" thing, and that whole "the Father and I are one" and whatnot;
so, you get the picture. And, then this from Phil. 2:6, "… He (Jesus)
did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped…" What??
Because, if I was equal with God, I think I'd be holding on to that
premise with everything I had! But, not him. Not
Jesus.
--Sorry I've just got to insert this - it's a nagging question I
have: Is it possible that we, too, can be in constant submission to each other?
And, is that even necessary? For we are not God. Is it even in our best
interest to do so? Oh yeah, but then I'm reminded of Ephesians 5:21, that goes
along with a description of a Spirit-filled life; "and be subject to one another
in the fear of Christ." Of course, here he is talking to Believers
about Believers.
It surely changes a perspective when we see that
ultimately all of our submission, or yielding, is to the one reliable Father.
My yielding to another can't even be sincere until I have come to the profound
conviction that Father's "got me covered." I've gotta have a deep abiding
knowing that I can trust Him.
And, again, as I
continue to more deeply understand, that it ain't all about me, I become more
freed up to care about others and their part in His picture. I'm getting
to the place of realizing that his bigger plan just isn't all about me… it
includes me, but it's not about me. When that's true, and as I
begin to allow God alone to determine my value and worth, and to love me into
trust, I am free to genuinely love those even who harm me. It is then that I am
able to yield, in whole submission to Father, which translates into a yielding
to others, with my truster wholly entrenched in the firm confidence of his love
for me.
Another lesson from the cross: sometimes yielding will
hurt like hell… … that's when the trusting must take over. But, you
certainly can't have that kind of trust without knowing Father. And, just
maybe, that's where the buffeting our body comes from that Paul spoke of. When
we'd most like to ease or alleviate our physical (and perhaps spiritual or
emotional) pain, we choose to instead yield to a higher
plan/purpose.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(I know I'm leaving out a whole lot of
thoughts on the subject and directions this could go. For, there is much else
to consider. These were just some basic thoughts I'm chewing on, as I digest
the truth He is showing me.)
- With Unveiled Face
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