The world is full of strength fantasies. I probably don't even have to name them for you, as any one of us can name a few without even trying hard. We all want control through superior strength in some area of our lives. Yet God calls us to yield up our lives to Him; a quite opposite sort of thing. Yielding is to our fallen minds not a sign of strength but of weakness. Athletes in a fighting sport strive for a submission hold to win the contest. God calls for submission from us, voluntarily with no fight involved. That's a good thing because I cannot think of a more unequal contest than to fight against our Lord!
Meek inheriting the earth, submitting to the Lord's will, surrender to Jesus, our faith is full of phrases that are alien and strange to our strength fantasies. Our greatest hero was one who meekly went to a criminal's death on a cross; surely a sign of complete surrender and loss if ever there was one. Then, at the end of His word, the sound and shouts of victory through the blood of the Lamb. How can this be? Maybe in this fallen world of sin we tend to have an upside down view of what it is to win the final victory. Could it be that the greatest gift God gives through the Holy Spirit is the ability to submit to Him?
Quietly, gently we go to Him. We want the mastery but God relieves us of the burden. Gradually we learn the right responses to circumstances, temptations, and trials of our faith. In love we grow closer to our Lord and the family of God. We learn to let the Lord hold the strength, power, might, and authority. We learn to live in Christ.
Bucky
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