Chapter 4.

SUBMISSION with a Donkey

Submission begins with a realisation, can plunge us into grief and threaten our security. But it is the seed of new life.

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Revelation on The John

My toilet is Old Testamentine: Garden of Eden pot-planted on the window sill, Tower of Babel, a tall pile of mags by the door, Noahs Ark, my toilet roll holder, bearing 2 by 2 ply. For long visits I keep a box of Trivial Pursuit cards in the corner. Todays history question: What animal did Christ ride on his triumphant entry into Jerusalem? Instantly, I am thrust deep into the heart of the New Testament, to a man bobbing down a dusty road on a little beast surrounded by a squeeze of jubilant humanity. And because I know the story back to front I can see every detail in my mind. It sends a shiver down my spine in every broad smile, the hint of fangs; beneath every cheer, a subtle growl; in the roar of this crowd, a stalking pride. There, on that ancient road, lined with branches and coats I see the lamb amongst the lions. The Answer hes riding a donkey colt.

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Our Little Submissions

by Sheridan VoySey writer, speaker, broadcaster on contemporary spirituality.

It begins with a realisation, can plunge us into grief, even threaten our security, then bring forth new life. At least thats been my experience. Im not sure the human soul has ever fancied the idea of submission. And it fancies it even less in an age where personal freedom is deemed supreme. The legitimate feminist critiques of male domination, the continuing horrors of the modern slave trade and the steady parade of civic and religious leaders exposed as frauds have led to cynical distrust of authority and power. And as my first boss told me, we are all our own masters. Each of us has a kingdom called my life to which we feel suitably entitled to rule. All of this places the idea of submission close to Sharia Law on contemporary popularity lists. And yet the law of love demands submission, the fullness of life requires it, and the Lord of All manifested it in all its radiance. The act of submission is a sacrificial gift that places the will of another above our own. And as I recently discovered, it happens in four progressive stages. The first stage is the moment of recognition. We are presented with a need, a truth, a person to which the decision of submission must be made. For me it was the realisation that my wife needed a new beginning. A long-held dream of hers had been to live and work abroad, and it was time for a fulfilled dream. As her life-mate, I had significant power in seeing this wish granted or denied. The recognition stage places the choice of submission before us. And this choice is what separates the Christian notion of submission from the deadly substitutes of coercion, manipulation or domination. Christian 27

submission begins with freedom. We are free to submit ourselves to another. Free to let their wishes take precedence. Deliberation marks the second stage. There will be a cost to our submission. At the very least it will cost us time or money. In the most extreme cases it could cost us our lives. It will almost certainly call our own plans and aspirations into question. My inner wrestling began the night the ramifications of Merryns dream fully hit. To leave the country meant leaving the national radio show I was hosting. That program had been a decade-long dream and, having materialised, had found some success. I was writing books that people were actually reading and by leaving was putting my platform considered a necessity in the publishing world today in danger. Literal platforms might also be lost. I was being invited to speak at some exciting events. By leaving Id be starting again as an unknown quantity in an unknown land with unknown prospects and few if any contacts. This stage often exposes the hidden idols in our hearts those flimsy constructs we rely on for our sense of meaning and identity. Idols like career, comfort, freedom, power. Idols like our dreams for the future and our current success. Perhaps success was the idol I subtly worshipped. It is often the hardest idol to relinquish. And relinquishment is the next stage of the submission journey. If God is behind this little drama engineering a new future for the person needing our submission; perhaps enacting his next plan for us without our recognition well certainly need his enabling here. For if it is the Spirit of God who is beckoning us to sacrifice not guilt, manipulation or duty we will next need to release those dreams, careers and idols into his hands. Expect to wrestle at this point. Expect your heart to clutch and claw at what youre about to give up. Expect to question whether you can really trust God to provide for you. And expect to feel a little sad about that.

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Then expect to feel a sense of grief for what you are letting go. And to have your heart try and claw it back again. This may take a while. It is an echo of Gethsemane. Any personal Gethsemanes we face will prove nothing like Christs nowhere near as costly or excruciating. And so he is a more than adequate model as we wrestle with our little submissions. He who relinquished divine privilege to take on human flesh, who appeared alongside us with a bowl and a towel, who said the laying down of life was the true mark of love, who flinched and sweated at the cost of submission, and relinquished his body to blood-stained logs and nails... he, even he, spent hours wrestling with the call of God in that garden. When we arrive at submission itself the final stage we recognise how important those last two stages have been. Dismiss the need without a thought and we risk both robbing someone of love and disobeying God. Submit without consideration of cost and we risk offering a commitment without substance. God has been preparing the mind and heart up to this point, and he now requires the will. Submission is sealed with tangible actions. I arranged a coffee with my station manager to discuss my leaving the show. I called my publishers. I wound up some speaking commitments. My situation was met with great understanding, but you may face a harder ride. A ride more like Jesus had. Your submission to anothers wishes may not make sense to others. Jesus submission to the Fathers will meant submission to the brutal wills of the Jews and Romans too. None of that made sense. Until the resurrection. For the Christian, submission ultimately results in life. Resurrection life. For the one we submit to, and for us as well. Relinquish your life for Jesus sake and you find it. The seed that falls produces the harvest. 29

Yes, submission begins with a realisation, can plunge us into grief and threaten our security. But it is the seed of new life. Merryn and I are now in England. The resurrection season for us both has begun.

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Lord, Me. Me. Me. Me. NO. Not my will but yours be done. Not my will but yours be done. Not my will but yours. Not my will but yours. Not me, but you. Not me, but you. You. You. You. You. YES. Amen
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