Missions & “SUB-mission” to God – Part 1

By monthly contributor, Ann Dunagan of Harvest Ministry

How SUB-mission Relates to Missions

The only difference between submission and mission is that little prefix sub –which means “under, beneath, or below.” A mission-minded family, and a mission-minded woman lives in sub-mission. There’s a total submission to God and His purposes.

SUB-mission — it’s like an arrow yielding to the archer, a submarine advancing underwater, and a fruit tree being pruned in the winter . . .

–Psalm 127:4

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.

Like an arrow . . . yield to the aim of the archer

As Christian women, we often think of our children as our arrows. But I want to challenge you that we, as God’s daughters, are also arrows in His Mighty Hand.

–Isaiah 49: 1-5

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.

And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God. And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.

Do you ever feel like Isaiah did in this passage? As a mom and as a woman, have you ever felt like you’ve “labored in vain” or “spent your strength” for nothing?

If you’ve ever felt that way, you’re in good company. Even the mighty prophet Isaiah got discouraged. But God has formed us and created us (uniquely as women) to be His servants and to express His heart on the earth.

Submit to God, and His mission for you will be fulfilled!

I’m sure you can relate to my heart. I long for God to be glorified in my life, in each of my children, and in our family. But praise God, it will not be because of my own strength (what a relief!!!). As Isaiah said, “My God shall be my strength!”

If God is going to be glorified, it’s going to be because of His strength and His grace. He’s the Archer, I’m the arrow, and the Archer gets the credit for the bulls-eye!

In archery, the arrow doesn’t choose its destination; it simply rests in the archer’s hand to be aimed toward his chosen target. When the archer is ready, the arrow will be released; and as long as the arrow is properly aligned and unhindered by outside forces, it will soar forward (on a straight path) toward its appointed destiny.

Let God “AIM” you . . .

We are special arrows for Him, and we need to submit to His alignment and direction in our lives. And we need to allow the Lord to “aim” us and to focus us toward His goals and His purposes (which begins with our daily relationship with Him — spending time in His presence, learning to love His Word, and learning to respond to His gentle “nudging” and corrections in our hearts).

“Your will, Lord. Nothing less. Nothing more. Nothing else.”
– Jim Elliot

Like a Submarine . . . Advance Under the Surface

As mission-minded families, our daily submission to God and our yielding to His under-the-surface guidance will directly affect our overall mission fulfillment and fruitfulness. It may sound more important to board an overseas-bound 747 or to have the opportunity to influence a huge crowd of people, but these activities may not be God’s best plan for this particular moment (or season) in our lives.

We’re all called, as believers, to be a part of God’s worldwide plan, but His expectations for us, as individuals and as a family, may be much smaller, yet possibly even more challenging to obey. Today’s mission-for-the-moment simply may be to open our Bible and read a few chapters or to take a minute to pray for a friend. Maybe right now, all God wants is for us to snuggle up on the couch with a little one and read a fun storybook. Or perhaps God’s perfect will is merely for us to quit procrastinating, turn off the computer, and go finish those loads of laundry!

When I think about the word submission, I like to imagine a submarine advancing silently underwater. Without sonar detection, others may not even know it’s there, because it’s so far beneath the surface; yet steady and powerfully that vessel is still moving toward its goal.

Like a Fruit Tree . . . Allow yourself to be “pruned”

Or when I think about my need to submit to God, I sometimes picture a late-winter scene with newly pruned fruit trees.

Our family lives in a beautiful area of Oregon, known for its pear and apple harvests. After years of driving through the orchards, I’ve come to appreciate how God’s fruitfulness comes in seasons. Even when the branches look barren, I know that the tree roots are growing deeper. And if I see the local farmers doing some heavy-duty pruning, I know it’s only because they want an increase in their summertime harvest!

In the same way, as we establish godly and submissive hearts, we can keep advancing forward (like that underwater submarine) and growing deeper and firmer roots (like those fruit trees) to fulfill God’s purposes for our lives. Even if no one notices the little things we do or the little attitudes we change, God knows it all. He knows exactly where we are right now and exactly where He’s planted us. And it’s not about us or our dreams.

Submission to God involves every area of our lives: our personal maturity (spiritually, mentally, physically, and financially), our attitude toward our marriage, our family priorities, our disciplines in home management–along with our ministry callings. As we allow God to refine those sub areas in our lives, we can trust that He will fulfill all of His mission promises to us . . . in His timing.

SUB-mission and the Joyful Family

When God created the family, He decided upon a family structure that He knew would work best. His plan is:

God is the leader of the family, and God’s Word is the ultimate, final word.

Dad submits to God and leads the family according to God’s direction, not necessarily because he is most qualified or deserving, but because he is God’s choice. Dad loves Mom with a self-sacrificing love like Christ loved the Church.

Mom submits to God and has a willing heart of submission toward her husband. Mom supports and loves Dad with a heart attitude of admiration, respect, esteem, and encouragement.

Together, Dad and Mom seek God and God’s will for their family. They diligently train each child to follow them–as they follow God.

Each child submits completely to God and to Dad and Mom with a heart of obedience, honor, and respect. Older children are a godly example and an encouragement to younger children.

God’s purposes for this family (and for each family member) is fulfilled. The whole family loves God, and the family lives in joy.

We can’t always change the actions or attitudes of others in our family, and it’s not our responsibility to make sure that the people in authority over us are doing everything right. We just need to submit and obey what God is telling us.

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