Prayers for Day Three…
I can see it in my 13 year old son’s face these days. He has mom and dad telling him what to do; he has teachers telling him what to do; he has coaches, scoutmasters, grandparents, pastors…all telling him what to do. His eyes reveal his feelings: he thinks that he is ready to be his own boss. Let me assure you…He is NOT. But you know what? Neither am I. I am so thankful that I am under the authority of my husband and ultimately my Father. There is much freedom in submission. There is much protection in remaining properly arranged. It is our job to teach this counter-cultural truth to our boys.
Abraham submitted to Yahweh by his willingness to sacrifice Isaac. Isaac submitted to Abraham on the mountain. God rewarded their obedience and submission: “in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” (Genesis 22:18)
Another Son, Jesus, submitted to His authority by going to the cross. Once again, Father God protected and rewarded the obedient Son: “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)
If our goal is to mold our sons into the image of Christ to the glory of the Father, then the attribute of submission to authority—parents, teachers, pastors, coaches—must be taught to them and modeled for them by us.
Commit to praying the following prayers for your sons or grandsons today.
Submission to Authority
May __________obey his leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over his soul, as those who will have to give an account. Let him do this with joy and not with groaning (Hebrews 13:17).
May __________ submit himself therefore to God. May he resist the devil, so he will flee from him (James 4:7).
May __________submit to laborers of the Gospel and to everyone who joins in the work (1 Corinthians 16:16).
May __________submit to others out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21).
May __________be subject to the Father of spirits and live (Hebrews 12:9).
May __________agree with God, and be at peace; so good will come to him (Job 22:21).
May __________ be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God (Romans 13:1).
May __________submit himself to the LORD (2 Chronicles 30:8).
May__________, who is younger, be subject to the elders. May he clothe himself with humility toward others, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).
For freedom Christ has set us free; may __________stand firm therefore, and not submit again to a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1).
