Service and Submission

"Imprison me within Thine arms,
And strong shall be my hand."
- George Matheson

Dean Hall, in his sermon today, spoke of our desire to be forgiven and reconciled for what we have done and our simultaneous desire to keep on doing exactly what we've been doing that led to our seeking forgiveness in the first place. Folks, it's a trap! While recognition of our wrong-doing is a good first step, if we stop here, we have not changed. We need to submit our will to God - "thy will, not mine be done" and be willing then to seek out and do God's will. Yes, this means being open to change - changed thoughts, actions, changed selves.

On Ash Wednesday, I wasn't ready to go here, but today, in light of some readings for my Spirituality for Ministry class, I feel it is time. Service and submission have received some really bad press from our society - dare I say it? - our narcissistic society. We want a path to self-actualization that does not involve effort on our part. We want to be fine just as we are. Well, friends, it just ain't that easy. . . but imagine the freedom if we are willing to travel this path. . .

Comments

Ryan said…
This is the kind of theology that is behind the growing trend to make the "thyself" portion of "love thy neighbor as thyself" the more important of the two. The keyword here is "as". Love your neighbor in the same way that you love yourself. One is not more important that the other and neither has pride of place. Rather, they go hand in hand.

America[ns], in general, has a problem with submission of any kind. We're a pull yourself up by your bootstraps culture, and there is something to that for sure. But we are called to walk humbly too. Reconciling humility with bootstraps is a tall glass of water to drink.

-R
Yes, carrying the cross IS "a tall glass of water to drink" (I assume this is some meaningful southern expression along the lines of "not easy"?) ;)