"To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen."
I’d like to say that, as Americans, we have trouble with submission, but the fact is, as human beings, we have trouble with submission. Since the first sin in the Garden of Eden, we have wanted to be wiser, more powerful, and more in control than God. It’s just that simple.
"Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate" (Genesis 3:4-6 NKJ).
"You will be like God."
The Father had already put Adam and Eve into the perfect living conditions. They ruled over all the animals that had been created. They lived in a garden where they could simple pluck and eat. They communed with God everyday. There was no sin, no sadness, no pain, no sorrow, no problems.
But there was one thing. They were presented with the idea that they could be like God and that sounded good. For some reason—like all the rest of us—they didn’t trust God completely. And rebellion felt so good.
Notice that Eve doesn’t evidence any of the characteristics that we would normally associate with rebellion. She isn’t screaming or being abusive. She isn’t acting outrageous or demanding her own way. But one thing she does; she refuses to believe God. This is the heart of rebellion.
Jude tells us this: God alone is wise. But more than that, God alone deserves the glory and majesty. God alone had all dominion and power. God is God. He is Creator, Master, Ruler. He’s the boss! And not only the boss, but He is the only One who really understands what’s going on and has the insight and power to do something about it.
How many times have I jumped the gun, trying to manipulate the people around me or control the circumstances, only to discover that I can’t? In fact, even though I’d like to think I can, what I end up doing is simply making more of a mess. God alone is wise and rather than trying to put my own imprint upon a situation, what I should do is pray, pray, and pray some more. Then, if God tells me to do something, then do that! Otherwise, I already know what to do because I’m always to live out the fruit of the Spirit . . . in every situation. That’s my responsibility. Everything is God’s. To Him is the dominion and the power because He alone is wise.
And Jude emphasizes this with "now and forever." God doesn’t ever stop being God. He has the bases covered, not only for today, but for tomorrow and all the tomorrows including the tomorrows we spend in eternity. Always and ever God is in charge . . . and He has the wisdom to do so.
Aren’t you glad? I am.
© 2014 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved.
For permission to copy, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com
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