Most Submissive Savior, teach me how to be obedient the way that You were. I am impressed by the way that You submitted to Your Father’s will when You were asked to come to earth, suffer and die to save me. You submitted because of the honor and respect You had for Your Father and the immense love You had for Him and me. I am beginning to see those things done as acts of obedience are centered in respect and love. A love that calls for me to put You before myself. A love that subjects my will to Yours. You made it clear in Your Word that what You wanted from me is obedience and not sacrifices. My obedience requires a willing submission to Your authority and control. I must be willing to allow myself to be conformed to Your likeness and will. Obedience requires that I pay attention and remain willing to do what I am told.
I must be diligent in doing what You ask of me instead of doing what I think is appropriate. When You give me a command I must stay on track and not veer to either the left or the right. I must walk in the ways You command if I want to live and prosper in the place You call me. If I love You with all my heart, with all my soul, and all my strength, I know that my life will be prosperous and be filled with good things. If I choose to do what I think is appropriate, then my life will be filled with confusion and undesired consequences. You provide me with guidance for living when You say in Your Word that I will reap what I sow. If I sow good things, then good things will fill my life. If I sow bad things, then bad outcomes will dominate my life. Since You are good, it is better to do good because it is Your way. Teach me to always obey You because You have my good in mind.
It is very easy to get swept up in the ways of the world, but I must be careful not to forget You nor the things that You want me to emulate. The easiest way to remain obedient and faithful to You is to be “all in” in my commitment to You, Your ways, and Your will. I must recognize that You see everything that I do and, when I disobey, you will always forgive my transgressions when I show real repentance. To live for You, I must do what You ask of me and not question why? Your way is the best for me … while my own ways and those of the world usually lead to painful lessons. If I obey You, I am confident that You will protect me from evil and help me overcome my difficulties. Being obedient is not obeying You when I agree with You or when it is easy. Your calling demands I do everything You ask of me. My obedience must not be “hit or miss” but “complete” in every way. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
II Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.