Submission: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Life
Submission: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Life
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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781619705555 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Hendrickson Publishers, Incorporated |
| Publication date: | 04/18/2021 |
| Series: | Everyday Matters Bible Studies for Women |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 401 KB |
Read an Excerpt
Everyday Matters Bible Studies for Womenâ?"Submission
By Hendrickson Publishers
Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC
Copyright © 2014 Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLCAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-61970-555-5
CHAPTER 1
Life beyond Our Control
Trusting God's Goodness
But Joseph replied, "Don't be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you?
You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don't be afraid.
I will continue to take care of you and your children."
So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.
Genesis 50:20–21
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For this study, read Genesis 50. _____________________________________________________________________
Author and speaker Nancy Guthrie highlights in her commentary about Joseph in the Everyday Matters Bible for Women that "Joseph is a great example of submission in the midst of suffering." Not only was he forced to contend with a situation he did not ask for or deserve, his circumstances befell him by means of an act of betrayal by his own brothers, who ambushed him and then sold him into slavery. Guthrie writes, "Joseph believed in God's goodness, which is what we all must do. And we must realize that God's goodness might include some things that we may not necessarily label as good. Yet God's nature is the essence of goodness."
Sometimes this is hard to believe and causes many believers to pause and even stumble. No doubt Joseph spent many years wondering why his brothers had betrayed him and abandoned him. He most likely had to contend with bitterness and depression. Yet in the end, he slowly came to understand that the purposes of God are not always clear in the midst of the moment. He waited and trusted and submitted, knowing that God's purpose always prevails. He was able to say to his brothers upon meeting them again many years later, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good."
Before that happened, however, Joseph was sold to some passing Midianite traders and his brothers told their father Jacob that Joseph—his favorite son—had been killed by a wild animal: "His family all tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. 'I will go to my grave mourning for my son,' he would say, and then he would weep" (Genesis 37:35). Although the situation looked bleak for both Jacob and Joseph, the Scriptures record that "meanwhile, the Midianite traders arrived in Egypt, where they sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Potiphar was captain of the palace guard" (Genesis 37:36).
As the story goes, Joseph soon finds favor with Potiphar—because "the Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master" (Genesis 39:2). Potiphar recognizes this and promotes Joseph, giving him charge over his household. But the situation goes awry when Potiphar's wife lusts after handsome Joseph. Once again, Joseph upholds his integrity, knowing he is a servant both of God and of Potiphar. "How could I do such a wicked thing?" he says to her to no avail. She falsely accuses him and Joseph finds himself in prison.
At this point, Joseph could feel abandoned by God and pretty hopeless. But he submits himself to God, trusting in his goodness. Once again, the Lord is indeed with him, and he makes Joseph "a favorite with the prison warden" (Genesis 39:21). Two years pass before Joseph is finally set free and promoted to Pharaoh's right hand, which leads us to the end of the story. Seeking food in Egypt during the famine, Joseph's family is reunited with him—including Jacob—and they bring their entire families to live among the Egyptians. What began as evil ends with God's salvation of his chosen people. Nancy Guthrie writes that this same trust in God's goodness that Joseph displayed "is what makes it possible for us to submit to the hard, dark things he sometimes allows us to experience. Whatever God allows to happen, we can give ourselves over to his goodness, gladly knowing that he can and will use it for good."
* * * _____________________________________________________________________
"In every request, heart and soul and mind ought to supply the low accompaniment, 'Thy will be done'; but the making of any request brings us near to Him.... Anything large enough for a wish to light upon, is large enough to hang a prayer upon."—George MacDonald _____________________________________________________________________
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As you study this chapter, think about a dark situation that turned out well for you or someone you know. _____________________________________________________________________
1. This episode examines the demeanor of Joseph, who was forced to adjust to a new situation not of his choosing (as a captive in Egypt). In what way did Joseph demonstrate an attitude of submission to his new situation?
2. During his captivity in Egypt Joseph rose through the ranks, ultimately to become the right-hand man of Pharaoh. What emotional battles do you think Joseph faced and overcame to be able to function with such self-confidence, despite his captivity?
3. What does Joseph's example teach us about navigating situations not of our choosing?
4. Have you ever found yourself in a situation similar to Joseph's? How did you strike the balance between submission and personal frustration or fear?
5. What qualities in Joseph do you think predisposed Potiphar or the prison warden to elevate him to leadership? Why do you think a supposed pagan such as Potiphar "realized that the Lord was with Joseph" (Genesis 39:3)?
6. What lessons can we take from this narrative about submission, personal struggle, and attitude?
* * * _____________________________________________________________________
"The greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances."—Martha Washington _____________________________________________________________________
Points to Ponder
Jesus says in Luke 6:35, "Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked."
• Think of those in your life you consider as "enemies."
• What are ways you can show your submission to God's "Golden Rule" by loving that person or persons—no matter how difficult it may be for you?
Prayer
Lord, how quickly I forget your sovereignty when I am confronted with situations not of my choosing. Help me to assume a place of humility and patience amid these circumstances. And where I must exercise conviction, purify my motives and help me to measure my steps. Dispose my way to your gracious favor.
Add your prayer in your own words.
Amen.
Put It into Practice
Look back to a time in your life when you found yourself in a situation that you could not control and yet called for your submission—in a job perhaps or a relationship. Examine where you may have acted badly or wisely, impatiently or submissively. Think and pray about those places where you wish to grow.
Take-away Treasure
The next time you find yourself in a situation you didn't solicit or expect, slow down, take a deep breath, and pray that you may greet it with patience and humility. As John Ortberg writes in "Submission for the Strong Willed" in the Everyday Matters Bible for Women:
Our sense of will can be dangerous when it veers toward stubbornness or egotism—or it can be buoyed by divine strength when our will is submitted fully to God's leading. I've found that, amazingly, the One who demands the most surrender of my will is the One who wants and makes my will to be its strongest and best.
CHAPTER 2"Don't Be Afraid"
Obeying No Matter What
The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God...."
Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant.
May everything you have said about me come true."
Luke 1:35–38
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For this study, read Luke 1:1–45. _____________________________________________________________________
In his Gospel, Luke writes with a special emphasis on the role of women generally and the women in Jesus' life specifically. It is appropriate, then, that he would begin his narrative about the life of Jesus with this very intimate look at the heart of Jesus' mother, Mary.
Mary found herself in an unenviable and outlandish position of being "with child" without having "been with a man." At the time she would have been quite young, maybe fifteen years old (which was the appropriate age for marriage in that culture). The sudden presence of the angel Gabriel naturally confused and disturbed her and even his salutation threw her off: "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!" (Luke 1:28). Before she could even begin to wonder about this, he comforts her: "Don't be afraid, Mary" (v. 30). Although she most likely was still perturbed (who wouldn't be!), she accepted her circumstances with humility and grateful submission: "I am the Lord's servant." In this way, she is a role model for women who must contend with circumstances not of their choosing, but who, like Mary, desire to honor God.
And there are other women of faith Luke highlights in his Gospel. In the twenty-fourth chapter, he describes Jesus' resurrection. "Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women" return to the tomb to finish the burial ritual of the body—which they find is no longer there—and two men "clothed in dazzling robes" say to them, "Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day." It is this group of women who run back to the remaining eleven disciples "and everyone else" to tell them what had happened. Luke says that "the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn't believe it. However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look." The rest, as they say, is history—and yet so much more.
The English Renaissance poet Æmilia Lanyer wrote in her 1611 book that
it pleased our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ... to be borne of a woman, nourished of a woman, obedient to a woman; and that he healed women, pardoned women; yea, even when he was in his greatest agony and bloody sweat, going to be crucified, and also in the last hour of his death, took care to dispose of a woman; after his resurrection, appeared first to a woman, sent a woman to declare his most glorious resurrection to the rest of his Disciples.
We can be grateful to Luke and the other Gospel writers for keeping these precious women ever in mind, encouraging us today with the challenges of our respective worlds. They believed and were obedient to follow through with what God had asked of them—to the blessing of us all.
* * * _____________________________________________________________________
"Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine. Whoever I am, Thou knowest, O God, I am thine!" —Dietrich Bonhoeffer _____________________________________________________________________
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As you study this chapter, think of the times you were afraid to do what you felt God was calling you to do and how it all worked out. _____________________________________________________________________
1. Mary's situation could evoke both terror and joy. In either case, since her inner disposition to this news is not clearly described, what does this passage say about submission?
2. Mary had been chosen for this role and responsibility—something she neither asked for nor possibly felt capable of fulfilling. What do you think about her response to the angel?
3. Have you even been confronted with a dilemma such as Mary faced? That is, have you perceived God calling you to something you did not want, did not feel adequate to fulfill, and—worse—that may have compromised your standing in the community? How did you respond?
4. Have you ever experienced shame or embarrassment associated with an act of submission and obedience, as Mary did? Did it derail your resolve or elevate your assurance?
5. In this passage, Gabriel tells Mary that her cousin Elizabeth is also in a unique place of God's favor (though unlike Mary, Elizabeth's husband Zechariah responded in disbelief when the angel visited him). In this way, it seemed possible for Mary to take added hope that she was not alone on this journey. In what ways has God provided you with fellow servants and travelers as you seek to submit to his purposes in your faith journey?
6. In the end, we know how the story ends for Mary. Her faith in God's purpose proved true. Yet she also had to watch her son die. What might she say to you or someone else who is struggling to submit to God's purpose, even if it seems to result in chaos?
* * * _____________________________________________________________________
"Then into His hand went mine,
And into my heart came He;
And I walk in a light divine
That path I had feared to see."
—George MacDonald, "Obedience"
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Points to Ponder
Read Acts 4 where Peter says to the priests after he and the apostles were brought to trial and told not to teach in Jesus' name, "Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?"
• Think of other examples in the Scriptures where people chose to follow God despite their circumstances (for example, Daniel, the edict, and the lions).
• Think of times when you have had to make a decision between obeying human authority and what God was calling you to do.
Prayer
Lord, submitting to your purpose is probably one of the most challenging struggles for anybody. There is so much I want to retain control over. I want my sovereignty. Please do not leave me to my stubborn place of control. Free me from fear, from condition, from equivocation, and, more importantly, from myself. Help me submit to you, come what may. Help me to have Mary's attitude and willing spirit.
Add your prayer in your own words.
Amen.
Put It into Practice
Each day this week, write on a note card Mary's response to Gabriel: "I am the Lord's servant." Carry the card with you daily, and you will be reminded of the need to submit to the work God is doing in your life. It helps to write it and read it, again and again. It is like righting the ship.
Take-away Treasure
Mary's submission to God's will didn't end with the birth of Jesus and her marriage to Joseph. At the temple during Jesus' dedication, the prophet Simeon said to her, "A sword will pierce your very soul" (Luke 2:35). Thirty-three years later, Mary found herself in another hard place—at Golgotha. As Luci Shaw writes in "Mary: Yes to Shame and Glory" in the Everyday Matters Bible for Women:
We can only imagine Mary's agony when she stood at the foot of the cross and watched Jesus suffer and die (John 19:25–27). "I am the Lord's servant" (Luke 1:38), that long-ago surrender, seems easy compared with this silent, "Lord, here is my son." ... May we learn from Mary the courage to say yes to God, especially as we are faced with challenges that seem impossible, outrageous, or that lead us down a path of purging pain.
CHAPTER 3"To Whom Would We Go?"
The Stumbling Block
At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, "Are you also going to leave?" Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life."
John 6:66–68
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For this study, read John 6:56–68. _____________________________________________________________________
John 6 describes in painful detail a turning point in the ministry of Jesus. Up until this episode, Jesus' popularity had been growing wildly and crowds clamored for his words and followed him. He, however, was never fooled by these public accolades. Soon their praises would turn against him.
He had just miraculously fed over five thousand people, after which they wanted to make him king. But almost immediately afterwards, they ask for a "miraculous sign" so they could believe in him (apparently, the miraculous meal wasn't enough!). They cite how Moses had given their ancestors manna in the desert, "bread from heaven to eat." After clarifying that it was God who sent the manna, not Moses, Jesus then claims that he himself is "the bread of life." Still they don't believe. They mumble and grumble about how he's Joseph's son; they can't understand how he can be the "bread that came down from heaven." After all they have seen him do, their unbelief is, well, unbelievable.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Everyday Matters Bible Studies for Womenâ?"Submission by Hendrickson Publishers. Copyright © 2014 Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC. Excerpted by permission of Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Copyright,Holy Habits,
Introduction,
Chapter 1. Life beyond Our Control: Trusting God's Goodness,
Chapter 2. "Don't Be Afraid": Obeying No Matter What,
Chapter 3. "To Whom Would We Go?" The Stumbling Block,
Chapter 4. In His Mighty Power: Putting on God's Armor,
Leader's Guide,
Other Titles,