Press the arrow to listen to Hillsong Church sing “Eagles Wings” as you read today’s devotional.
Scripture
For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority—whether the king as head of state, or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.
It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God, and respect the king.
You who are slaves must accept the authority of your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you—not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel. For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment. Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. 1 Peter 2:13-20
Observation
It was a warm, spring morning of 1986. Behind me were the stained glass windows of the seminary that had been my home for three years. Next to me was a friend in the parking lot. We chatted excitedly because we had not just finished a final exam, but my final, final exam in my student life. After 19 years of schooling, I was done. I never felt so free as at that moment. But I wasn’t free at all. I was soon to discover that life would throw many exams at me and that I would be accountable to new kinds of teachers.
Freedom is an illusion, because every person is accountable to somebody. Even when I was a senior pastor, I was still accountable to the board and to the superintendent.
If freedom is an illusion, then the opposite is true as well. Servitude is a delusion. Even though I am accountable to others, I am no man’s slave. The person in authority over my life is Christ at work in me. My service to them, is as my service to the Lord. I am not a slave to anyone because I serve Christ, but I must submit to the authorities over me, for that is how Christ comes to me.
Liberty is found through submission. When I receive the authority God has placed over my life then it is safe for me to be at liberty. Submission is not subservience. Submission is voluntarily bringing all of my abilities and rights under the cover of another person. Subservience is based on inferiority and intimidation. Submission is gives us honour, for it implies that we have something significant to submit. When I submit to authority, I give Christ the freedom to access me. He will then position me in the place most secure for me.
Application
Someone came to see me yesterday, who was disoriented with life-change. Where did they fit? I said, “If you are uncertain of where you stand, then begin to serve. When we serve from the lowest place, then Christ has the freedom to place us where it is best for us to be.” Serving and submission are the safest place for me to be.
Prayer
Father, I open my heart to receive the influence of every authority over my life, from the President on down. I also choose to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus so that I will know the value you have given to me. Help me to serve with humble dignity. The rest is yours. Amen.
