Hey guys, we are finishing up debrief today and it has really been a time of recharging. I think Adventures in Missions really has this thing done right. It gets stressful out here each month and having a time to rest and recharge is so cool. I feel like God has something big in store for us this next month and I can’t wait to see what he is going to do.
Here is just a bit of my quiet time yesterday:
Submission to Rulers and Masters
13Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 17Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
18Slaves,
submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those
who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20But
how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and
endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is
commendable before God. 21To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22“He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[e] 23When
they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he
suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who
judges justly. 24He himself
bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and
live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
For those of us who know how things should run our lives, we need to realize that God is the one in control. Jesus understood this and thus so easily gave up his right to retaliate because he knew he was God’s son and knew that God was on His side. So often we want to fight back, but it takes more strength to not fight back than to fight. To not fight back goes against our nature, but it is divine. Once we master this, then another degree of difficulty is added – to submit to unjust bosses and authority with a good attitude.
