SUBMISSION

My first posting of the decade and I am thinking of the word SUBMISSION. I think this falls into the "one-of-the-most-misunderstood-word" category. In a nutshell, it is not about obedience but a willingness to come under. It has nothing to do with gender. Rather it has everything to do with gifting, righteousness and authority. Gifting because there are always people better at things that we are not good at. The best thing to do is to let them lead and we willing come under, take the lesser role and assist. Righteousness because we are not to succumb to nor practice evil, wickedness and wrong doings. Authority because we don't have all authority in everything. As much as we lead, we too are followers of others. If one has been appointed over me, then my job is to come under and assist for the common good. It's not about me. Having said this, husbands need to stop telling wives to listen and obey and wives need not blindly obey their husbands in everything. We are called into submission to one another regardless of gender. AND more importantly, we are to submit to God first in everything even as we submit to one another. It's for our own welfare and harmony that we do not disregard God in our lives.

In the Garden of Eden, what was it that God require of man? SUBMISSION. And why submission? Because God wanted full control of everything? I don't believe God is a control freak (pardon the pun). God wants Adam and Eve to willing come under His love and protection because when God placed man on earth, there was already the presence of evil. Lucifer and a third of the angelic host had fallen prior. That's why the need for the Tree of Life and the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden. God did not place Adam and Eve to roam the earth at the very beginning of time although His purpose was for them to populate the earth. He placed them in Eden for a specific reason. When the presence of evil manifested, they succumbed for disregarding submission. Not only did they not submit to God, Eve did not submit to Adam in a face-off with evil. Eve took the front line and command while Adam allowed her. Today, the presence of evil have filled the earth. As in Eden, man still disregard God, righteousness and authority. While many are chanting world peace, wars and rumors of wars are raging. The earth had never experienced peace. Biblical prophecies are unfolding right before our very eyes. How do we survive? How do we raise or kids? I suggest we go back to the drawing board ... back to Eden. Only in SUBMISSION can we live at peace with one another and be in harmony. Only in SUBMISSION can we harness the plentiful resource we have on planet earth. Only in SUBMISSION can we love one another. Understand submission. It's not a dirty word. To me, it's the most vital tool God had given to mankind in the presence of evil  today since the very beginning of time.

¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ²⁰ giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5)