Submission has never ever….. ever been my strong point. In fact I can confidently say that it is an area of my life that God has been challenging me to get on board with for a very long time.
In my journey through life, I have pushed the envelope and broken most of the rules. The question I have asked myself and want very much to ask my daughter when I see her breaking the rules is did I find the freedom, excitement, and fulfillment I was looking for? There were certainly some thrilling times, but freedom, fulfillment, success, happiness, life at it's best... not even close.
Yes….sin is like being lactose intolerant…eating a delicious scoop of Graeters Black Raspberry Chip Ice Cream and then promptly feeling it sour in your stomach 30 minutes later! It taste’s great going down but OMG don’t come too close afterwords. My lack of submission to God, my parents, those in leadership positions and even my former husband didn't bring any of the sweetness… just brokenness, frustration, anger, hurt, confusion, resentment, and a number of other consequences which I don’t even want to think about.
I have learned that my definition of submitting to authority and God’s definition is… SURPRISE….very different. God’s definition of submission is to voluntarily arrange yourself under authority. When we do that, we cooperate with that leader, we are to help carry the responsibility and the load. The goal is to ultimately accomplish a much larger work than you could do on your own.
I always viewed submission as being weak or somehow being in bondage to people or situations I did not want to be enslaved by. I have always been very independent and always thought I knew exactly what I wanted and always was under the distinct impression that I not GOD was in control. Thank goodness HE never gave up on me and put just the right people in my life at key times to speak the truth in love.
For example, I have the great privilege to work with followers of Christ everyday who are submitting to not just God’s authority over their lives but they are also submitting to one another to accomplish the goal of carrying out God’s orders regarding the poor, and children that have been abandoned and don’t have the same opportunities to just a high school education that most of us have had. I am in awe of the fine people that I work with every single day and the sacrifices that they make in order for our world to be a better place and to carry out God’s plan.
I am learning how to submit to authority every single day and am actively seeking out situations to submit by simply being an active listener to those in need and speaking God’s truth to them, by praying over those that need prayer at any given time, and by not rebelling when God is clearly trying to tell me something.
I have finally begun to realize that when I submit to God and live my life the way He intended, I get the best results and experience life in a way I couldn’t be more thankful for. As I continue to apply God's truth of submission to the other areas of my life I know I will find peace, excitement, love, joy, and all the things I've been wanting for my life all along. When I submit to authority I am under God’s covering….no better place to be!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
"Passion and Calling In A Changing World"
I have spent the last year really focusing on what God is saying to me about my calling in this world. I have to admit my twist on this posting has changed somewhat based on a conversation we have been having amongst our staff about our changing world.
Our world is no longer separate…it is becoming more and more like one BIG community. As a believer in Christ and specifically a growing believer I know that it is my job to minister to non-Christians and even growing Christians like myself. My passion as most of you know is the orphan child. Having the opportunity to minister to young people starting at a very early age is key not to just raising up amazing kids into wonderful, productive Christian adults but it also ensures that God’s word does not get lost in an ever changing world where Christianity could very well get “lost” if fellow Christians are not bold in their faith and speak out about our Wonderful God.
Our world is changing significantly. For example, The US is not growing at the same rate as Europe. Statistics show that in our children’s lifetime, Europe will move from a Christian nation to a Muslim nation just based on sheer numbers alone as they reproduce at a rate of 8.1. Now I realize I am broaching a very sensitive subject and I am going to come at it from a very different angle than most. I have many friends that are Muslim…some practice their faith and some are Christians. I am definitely an individual who has friends from all walks of life, race, religion, cultures etc. I enjoy meeting people from all walks of faith at all different levels because it gives me an OPPORTUNITY to speak about my father “God”.
Christians should be using their time here on earth as an opportunity to act as Jesus did amongst his disciples. When Jesus chose his disciples they came from all different life experiences and cultural backgrounds. That made them quite the motley crew. I don’t think they would have been confirmed in any modern day Senate Hearing. Even as followers of Christ, isn’t that how we are? Imperfect… sometimes unfaithful and even a bit rebellious at times? But those flaws should give us the perfect platform to speak to non-Christians. It should give us the chance to speak about our walk to become more like Jesus. And the wonderful thing is you don’t have to go all the way to Mexico, Africa or India to do this. Look around you….there are people from all over the world living right here in the good ole USA. There are many orphan children, homeless people and lost individuals with families to minister to about the plan that Jesus has for their life.
Even though my “passion” is to minister to kids…I know that as a believer in God, He has called me to minister to all. I am thoroughly convinced that is why He wired me with a “load” of tolerance, love, affection, discernment and humility. My challenge to you is not to confuse your passion with your calling. It doesn’t mean they cannot be married to each other but as a Christian we have the ‘CALLING” to minister to all non-believers and to be BOLD in our faith and GOD will give us the GLORY STRENGTH like that which we can never muster up on our own to deliver His word and His hope for His world.
From the Book of Deuteronomy we are called to “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid...for the Lord thy God, will go with you; he will not fail you, nor forsake you.
Our world is no longer separate…it is becoming more and more like one BIG community. As a believer in Christ and specifically a growing believer I know that it is my job to minister to non-Christians and even growing Christians like myself. My passion as most of you know is the orphan child. Having the opportunity to minister to young people starting at a very early age is key not to just raising up amazing kids into wonderful, productive Christian adults but it also ensures that God’s word does not get lost in an ever changing world where Christianity could very well get “lost” if fellow Christians are not bold in their faith and speak out about our Wonderful God.
Our world is changing significantly. For example, The US is not growing at the same rate as Europe. Statistics show that in our children’s lifetime, Europe will move from a Christian nation to a Muslim nation just based on sheer numbers alone as they reproduce at a rate of 8.1. Now I realize I am broaching a very sensitive subject and I am going to come at it from a very different angle than most. I have many friends that are Muslim…some practice their faith and some are Christians. I am definitely an individual who has friends from all walks of life, race, religion, cultures etc. I enjoy meeting people from all walks of faith at all different levels because it gives me an OPPORTUNITY to speak about my father “God”.
Christians should be using their time here on earth as an opportunity to act as Jesus did amongst his disciples. When Jesus chose his disciples they came from all different life experiences and cultural backgrounds. That made them quite the motley crew. I don’t think they would have been confirmed in any modern day Senate Hearing. Even as followers of Christ, isn’t that how we are? Imperfect… sometimes unfaithful and even a bit rebellious at times? But those flaws should give us the perfect platform to speak to non-Christians. It should give us the chance to speak about our walk to become more like Jesus. And the wonderful thing is you don’t have to go all the way to Mexico, Africa or India to do this. Look around you….there are people from all over the world living right here in the good ole USA. There are many orphan children, homeless people and lost individuals with families to minister to about the plan that Jesus has for their life.
Even though my “passion” is to minister to kids…I know that as a believer in God, He has called me to minister to all. I am thoroughly convinced that is why He wired me with a “load” of tolerance, love, affection, discernment and humility. My challenge to you is not to confuse your passion with your calling. It doesn’t mean they cannot be married to each other but as a Christian we have the ‘CALLING” to minister to all non-believers and to be BOLD in our faith and GOD will give us the GLORY STRENGTH like that which we can never muster up on our own to deliver His word and His hope for His world.
From the Book of Deuteronomy we are called to “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid...for the Lord thy God, will go with you; he will not fail you, nor forsake you.
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