Submission

As Ezekiel stood among the exiles by the Chebar canal he saw a vision.  He saw four figures, each with four faces.  They represented the people of God - each face representing the banners of the tribes of Israel.  The details of the creatures in the vision are important, but there is one that jumped off the page at me the other day.  "And each went straight forward.  WHEREVER THE SPIRIT WOULD GO, THEY WENT, without turning as they went." (Ezekiel 1:12) 

Even in this Old Testament vision given to the disobedient captives the people of God (represented by these images) are guided by the Spirit of God.  They go where they are led by the Spirit without turning to the side, without stopping to admire and  chase the worldly things around them. 

The whole of Holy Scripture teaches submission to God's Spirit, and as Christians we claim the Bible to be authoritative.  The Word of God, inspired by His Spirit.  I believe all of those things to be true.  But if that's the case, why are we so afraid to submit to Him?  Why do we continually refuse to give up our control of things and let God be God?  This is why we don't see the holy people of God.  Holiness is God's love and His character showing through our lives.  If we do not submit to Him, how can He make us something better than we were before?  Without a full submission we simply cannot live the lives that God requires us to live.

Our refusal and fear of submission make no sense whatsoever when we really take the time to think about it.  How many people have ever had everything turn out exactly like they wanted it to?  How can that be since "we're in control?"  No matter what methods we employ to control our circumstances, things never happen like we had thought, or hoped, they would.  Yet we have convinced ourselves that we know better than God.  He created the universe, sent His son to die for us, performed all of the miracles that we read in Scripture, and we still will not submit.  The danger is this:  Historically, when the people of God refuse to submit to God they are judged.  Over and over again this has taken place.  This is the place in which we find Ezekiel.  We can keep telling ourselves that we are smart enough and powerful enough and rich enough to guide ourselves, but history has proven different since the beginning of time.  If we are ever going to see a revival of holiness within the church, and awakening of God's people, it will be when we learn to submit EVERYTHING to God.