Wednesday, October 25, 2017 The Wholeness in Submission: The Discipline of Submission, Part 1 (Inspired by Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster)

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

The Wholeness in Submission: The Discipline of Submission, Part 1 (Inspired by Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster)

Scripture:
Mark 8: 34
“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me”

Matt. 10: 39
“He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it”

From Celebration of Discipline:
Self-denial does not mean the loss of our identity as some suppose. Without our identity we could not even be subject to each other. Did Jesus lose his identity when he set his face toward Golgotha? Did Peter lose his identity when he responded to Jesus’ cross-bearing command, “Follow me” (John 21: 19)? Did Paul lose his identity when he committed himself to the One who had said, “I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9: 16)? Of course not. We know that the opposite was true. They found their identity in the act of self-denial. (Foster, Richard J.. Celebration of Discipline: The Path To Spiritual Growth (p. 114). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.)

 “To have no opinion of ourselves, and to think always well and highly of others, is great wisdom and perfection.” (Thomas à Kempis)

Devotional:
Oh, my. This teaching on submission has taken a very different turn thanI was expecting. I confess, when I began this journey into reading Celebration of Discipline I almost didn’t expect it to be hard for me. I have gone through it quickly before, but from a pretty different perspective than the one that I’m seeing now for myself. I desire to have all that God has for me, but due to my difficult past I can often struggle with a fear of being hurt again or even taken advantage of. This way of teaching is offering me a surprise, because it happens that God is ministering to me in just about other every other area of life that I am precious and that he has great love for me and who I am. While unfortunate, it is very true of me and I believe of many other women of faith that the idea of self denial has been twisted and skewed by the enemy into something ugly and abhorrent instead of something beautiful and lovely. Thank You, God, for Richard Foster and this redefining of what submission actually is. I pray for healing In my heart and yours, and that the giving up of our rights will become a place of healing and liberation instead of a place of subjugation and bondage!

Prayer:
Thanksgiving:
Father, I am deeply grateful to You for this beautiful truth. I love You, Lord. You are worthy of praise. Your praise will be always on my lips. I lift You up. I magnify You, and I glorify Your name, Most High God of heaven and earth. You are wondrous, matchless, glorious and beautiful.

Confession:
God, I bring my aching soul to You today and confess that I need You. I need You every hour. I ask that You would show me any way in me that is hindering my walk. Release me from condemnation and draw me into confession and healing. (Lift and confess what God reveals. Mine today: I’ve held on to my rights for far too long. I desire to release it to You and walk the path of self-denial while holding my worth fully intact as Your daughter.)

Supplication:
(Journal or pray for personal needs; if journaling take note of victories and progress. Mine today: I am so excited that You are doing this work of identity in me! Thank You for taking a personal interest in causing me to be whole. I am going through a wonderful series of counseling sessions that are helping me to get the roots of my wounds, and I ask that You will continue to cover those sessions with Your Holy Presence. Thank You for the cloud of witnesses which continually intercedes for me as I surrender and allow You to minister to me at this time. You are good, Lord.)

Intercession:
I lift up my children today. Show me how to pray for them. (Journal or pray for your children; if journaling take note of victories and progress. Chloe today: I thank You that You are growing and maturing her. Help me to pour into her what she needs from me. Help me to give her to You, and not feel like the weight of responsibility to parent her is fully mine. Thank You that I can bring her to You. Help her social interactions to be enriching. Help her to foster friendships, and help her leadership skills to be a blessing and not a hindrance. Christian today: Cover his day at school. Protect him when he is away from us. Cover him with Your wings and do not allow him to be harmed. I am struggling with him riding the bus. Show us the answer to this, Lord.)

Thanksgiving and Consecration:
God, I praise You and honor You. You are worthy of praise alone. Seal this time, and go before and behind us today. In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.