It’s Day 30 of the #write31days challenge. I’ve tried to express the benefits I’ve experienced from learning to live in tandem in relationship with God, my husband and others. I imagine there’s at least one of you who has looked at the theme and thought Why does this matter to me? I don’t ride a tandem bicycle. I don’t even have a husband.
Why should Living in Tandem matter to you?
I now realize the most powerful action we can take after responding to God’s invitation to become part of His family, is learning to take the back seat in relation to God. The Biblical term is submission.
God the Father had an amazing plan to redeem the whole world. That plan would only work if the Son would actively participate. Being fully God, Jesus the Son took on the humble form of a human baby. He who had been worshiped by angels became a helpless infant born into the poorest circumstances; a feed trough for animals. Part of this amazing plan, Jesus the Son showed us the Father. Through His life and choices He also showed us how to submit His will to God’s will. In the ultimate act of submission, Jesus expressed His opinion, His desire several times. But God the Son said not My will but Yours be done as the Son submitted His will to the Father’s will.
Submission isn’t easy. Jesus showed us that. It requires a sacrifice. We give up our right to our own way to choose to follow Jesus on the Way. Submission brings about a depth in relationship with God the Father that demonstrates respect, love, trust and obedience to His plan for your life.
And in God’s amazing economy He blesses your sacrifices with His Presence, His peace, His love, His power to accomplish the hard things you face.
Like forgiving those who have wounded you.
The way up is the way down. A paradox of submission.
Living in Tandem matters for each one of us. It is simply a metaphor for what God’s Word teaches us.
Living in Tandem teaches us that the hurried life, the too full calendar, the distracting ourselves to death, do not fill the need, the emptiness that is in the center of our lives. Only God can fill our need. And He doesn’t force Himself in; we need to make the choice to take the back seat and learn from Him.
Living in Tandem means learning to listen to the One who is in the front seat; the One who knows where you’re headed, knows how to navigate the bumps and hills, knows when to push harder and when to rest. Living in Tandem means you follow and share and do your very important part. But you don’t do more than is yours to do either.
I want so much to express how different I am than 18 years ago! I want to share this freedom from the lies of do more, be less. That’s how the enemy twists submission.
Grace tells us we are enough. Satan tells us we’ll never be good enough.
In the words of Bob Dylan…You gotta serve somebody…
I pray you’ll choose to get on the Tandem with God.
[…] Day 30 Why Should Living in Tandem Matter to You? […]