A Life Submissive

By Susan Greeves

There is a difference between someone who just simply chooses to do things for Christ and one who submits their life to Christ - dies to self - so that He can live through them --doing what He would have them do --and that "doing" comes naturally. Corrie Ten Boom says "If you want to be used, we needn't rely on ourselves, because it is the Holy Spirit who does it". Oswald Chambers states: "The one marvelous secret of a holy life is not in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfections of Jesus manifest themselves in my mortal flesh. Sanctification is "Christ in you". In fact Oswald Chambers in his book My Utmost for His Highest has a lot to say about letting Him live through us. He says this too: "How often we forget that our lives are not our own-but God's gift to us. We muddle our lives with OUR intentions--we need to remember to leave it to God. We are His servants. Isaiah 49:5 "And now saith the Lord, that formed me from the womb to be His servant."

Everywhere I look, it points me back to surrendering MY will to God, allowing Jesus to live through me--not me choosing to do things FOR HIM; separately from Him, but to let Him LIVE through me so He's the one doing things. It's the work God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. "Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. Psalm 5:8"Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me. Tell me clearly what to do, and show me which way to turn". Isaiah 61:3 says "They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting OF the Lord FOR the display of his splendor" it says that we are planted here BY Him to show His splendor through us, not to plant us then say 'ok, glorify me', He does the glorifying too, THROUGH us- His way, not ours. How awesome is that? All I need to do is to continually abide in Him and Him in me, to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."2 Corinthians 10:5b.

Look at 2 Corinthians 5:15 "And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again". How much clearer can it get! I'm so excited by this, it took a huge weight off my shoulders. I just have to let Him and He will glorify Himself through me--the way He intends. Wow!!! How freeing.

When we wake up in the morning, and breath, we've missed the mark-so how can any of my efforts on my own be pleasing or righteous to Him? Plus I don't have to earn my salvation, He did it for me because He made me (just like everything in creation- to glorify Him), and wants me to come back to Him, to live eternally with Him-and to tell others how much He loves them before I do come home. Why would I be so arrogant to think that what I want to do for Him is what He wants from me?

What He wants is for us to obey Him; to show love to Him for His mercy and grace He gives us; to surrender our will; to choose to be submissive to Jesus is the only answer. Everything else will follow. Praise God!

(Just a side note, I do realize how sinful I still am and always will be in this world, and I do pull back my submissiveness, sometimes taking the reigns myself, and thankfully God will still work it for the good-- Romans 8:28. I am so grateful for His mercy and grace. "What a pang will go through us when we suddenly realize that we might have produced downright joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, no matter what was ahead." another quote from Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest.)