Submission

The armor of God includes a shield as an essential piece of equipment. This shield is needed to “extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16). The believer’s shield is not constructed with wood like the ones that the Roman soldiers carried. Our shield is built with faith.

When we pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, we are putting forth a risky offering. We are asking that God’s perfect will be worked through our lives. And we are placing ourselves in submission to that perfect will. For Jesus, that meant death—even death on a cross! What will that prayer mean for you? I don’t know what it will mean, but here are some things it could mean.

I love the fact that Peter uses Sarah as an inspired example of biblical submission. Read her story in Genesis 11-23. She was not a wallflower who waited on Abraham to call the shots. She was an opinionated woman, who devised an ill-conceived family plan (Genesis 16:1-2), mistreated the accomplice (Genesis 16:6), laughed at God (Genesis 18:12), and finally ordered Abraham to get rid of Hagar and Ishmael by sending them off to wander in the desert (Genesis 21:9-10). Sarah destroys the world’s twisted picture of submission!

Yesterday we focused on the assignment that God gives every husband. And we emphasized that it is a very tall order! Every husband is to love his wife just as Christ loved the church. Today we’ll focus on the biblical instruction for wives from Ephesians 5. Let’s be receptive to understanding what is truly expected.

God or money. Which master do you serve?

Perhaps today you need to have that talk with God. You can tell him that you disagree with the outcome, but you will continue to worship him as the one and only God.

God’s commands are based on His omniscience and His perfect will. There are always consequences when we refuse to follow his instructions. True worship and submission to God begin with an attitude of “Lord, you know best. Please give me the strength and determination to follow your instruction.”