Faith and Submission

So much is misunderstood about faith. Sometimes we tend to think that faith is about boldly going where no one has gone before. But recently I began to examine those precious lives in the Scriptures who practiced their faith through submission. In fact one writer said, “True faith always involves surrender to the will of God.”

When Jesus went to the cross, he went by faith. He entrusted Himself to His Fathers’ hands. Hours before his trial and crucifixion He cried out to His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Not my will, but Thine be done” (Matt. 26:39).  

When Abraham walked up Mount Moriah to sacrifice His only son, Isaac, he didn’t know that there would be a ram in the thicket. He went by faith, fully prepared to sacrifice the son of his love. He had surrendered his will to  God’s will (Gen 22:10,16). God acknowledged that Abraham would not even hold back his only son.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three friends that faced a fiery furnace. The pagan king asked them to bow down to his false gods.  They didn’t even blink. They assured the king that if God wanted to, He could protect them from the fire, but   even if He chose not to, they (out of submission to the true God) wouldn’t bow down to the king’s false gods. (Dan 3:17-18).

 What is God asking you and me to submit to? It may take more faith to surrender your will to His, than to boldly go where no one has gone before.