A Place of Submission

Acts 9:6- So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?"

I’ll never forget our nation’s response to the tragedy of 9/11 because the incident drove a mourning nation to seek The Face of A Merciful God. Even people not interested in God pursued Him during the calamity! Never have I witnessed secular television solicit (even embrace) Christian leaders as I did during this period of trauma in our nation. The slogan, “God Bless America” filled the airways as the common factor of grief temporarily bonded our country together. Because of our nature to blame others during times of trouble, many questioned The Lord’s Protection of our nation by asking, “How could God allow this to happen?”

In the Bible, (more often than not) when God’s chosen people experienced tragedy, it drove them back to God. I’m convinced that this is one of the purposes of God allowing trials to come our way. If we’d be honest, most Christians would confess that we seek God more fervently in the midst of life’s situations and circumstances than we do when things are going well. Many of us were drawn to God and gave our lives to Jesus through the vehicle of trouble. When God was calling Paul into ministry, the apostle fell to the ground and was temporarily blinded. But Paul asked the right question in the midst of the experience: “…Lord, what do You want me to do?” (Acts 9:6)

There are many reading this devotional who have been wondering what is God’s Purpose for the season of testing you’re enduring. God simply wants you to get to a place of absolute submission where you’ll completely surrender to His Will. He’s looking for us to respond the way Jesus responded in The Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:42): “…not my will, but thine, be done.”

Let’s Pray: “Father, thank You for every test, trial, and tribulation. We pray that we’ll not blame You for what we’re going through. Lord, let us get to a place of absolute surrender, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Daily Prayer: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my territory,

that Your hand would be with me,

and that You would keep me from evil,

that I may not cause pain!”

The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10

Daily Confession:
Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail
Above only and not beneath
The lender and not the borrower
The conqueror and not the conquered

I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness
And for delivering my life from death and destruction
So that I shall live and not die to declare your works

I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body
For by Your Stripes I'm healed
I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed
Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee

I confess that I will not be distressed, distracted, or in disarray
But I will be focused on what you’ve commanded me to do

I confess that there is no lack in my life today
For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus
Thank You that all things are working together for my good
And that You always cause me to triumph

This is the day that you have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
In Jesus, Name, amen.