Hayward church of Christ
Hayward church of Christ

From The Desk of:

Submission to God: Nothing to Lose but Everything to Gain

 

To many Americans, submission has a negative connotation. Wrestling comes to my mind as I think of two strong men fighting until one gives up in submission. At that moment of submission, a look of failure and defeat cover the person’s face. To the victor, celebration with a look of delight.  Have we been trained to believe that submission is a bad thing? Would compliance be difficult if we did not see it as submitting?  For instance, we obeyed our parents without thinking about it or knowing what submission was. God has always required his creation to honor their parents (Eph. 6:1-3).

 

We tend to believe that to submit is to lose something valuable. To submit to God is to lose your pride. Some would rather cut their hand off or pluck out an eye (Matthew 5:27-30) than cut out pride. I am reminded of the foolish rich man who entered eternity with his pride. More so, he saw poor Lazarus resting with Abraham and wanted to command him to warn his brothers (Luke 16:27-31). Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” To submit to God is to gain a relationship with the ruler of the universe.

 

 To submit to God is to place Him where he belongs, which is above all things and people, including myself. It is to say no to myself and yes to God. Jesus said, “Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Have you ever said no to God for your own self-interest.  Trust me, if that mindset and behavior continue, we lose in the end. We will see that what we told God no for, was like “chasing the wind” (Eccl. 1:14).

 

 You will find that submission to God equates to gains instead of losses. Recently, we have looked at the Book of Malachi and saw how the people of God refused to honor him. When they did something for the Lord, it was not with a whole heart. God issued a challenge to them. I believe what God said. When God wins, we win! “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10).

 

©3/11/2023, Courtney Henderson

 

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Hayward Church of Christ
22307 Montgomery St.

Hayward, CA 94541


Phone: 01 510 582 983001 510 582 9830

E-mail: haywardchurchofchrist01@gmail.com

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