God is Faithful!

God is faithful. He never fails to deliver. This morning as I began studying out of my
book "The Excellent Wife", I felt God had a fresh word for me. Fresh it was!
I was looking at the biblical motivations for submission. The number two reason (out of 20)
was "A Wife should look to the example of Christ's submission to the Father". I began to
think about how Christ submitted to the Father, even in His death on the cross.

I began to read the gospels recollection of when Jesus was arrested in the Garden.
John chapter 18 tells a little different view. When Judas and the "troops" came to arrest Jesus,
He wasn't surprised. In fact He had just said "Well, let's go, my betrayer is here" (totally my
own paraphrasing). And, of course, they were there to "get Him". I think they got a little more
than they bargained for however.

Verse 4 tells us that He went to them and said "Who are you looking for?" They answered
saying "Jesus of Nazareth". And then He said something I'm not sure they expected. He said
" I AM HE". I love what happens next. They fell to the ground. John describes those who came after Him as a "detachment of troops and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees".
The troops and chief "big shots" hit the ground at the sound of His voice. I believe at the moment Jesus said "I AM HE", He was telling them "I am more than Jesus of Nazareth. I am God. With the same power that God answered Moses at the burning bush, when He said
"I AM". I believe they fell at the glimpse of His glory, just like we will do when we are face
to face with Him.

So why did they fall? The power and majesty of His voice, declaring who HE was overpowered them all. A commentary I read describes it this way. "It was the glorious effulgence of the majesty of Christ which overpowered them. "This, occurring before His surrender, would show His power over His enemies, and so the freedom with which He gave Himself up" [MEYER].
He wanted them to know one thing for sure, " I am God. And I can speak and you will fall down.
You are only taking me, because I am letting you.

You see, He willingly went to the cross for us. They, the troops, and big whigs, had absolutely
NO power over Him! NONE!!! All He had to do was speak and they would fall down. Can you imagine what it looked like that day in the garden. I would have loved to have been a fly on the olive tree when all those "troops" hit the ground. I wonder if Jesus tapped His foot as He waited for them to get up. I wouldn't be surprised if He reached out His hand and helped them up. After all, He was going to the cross for them too. While they were on the ground, He could have ran away and hid. But He didn't because He was not only willing, but determined to die for us.

So.. Jesus submitted to the Father even to death. He is my example of submission.
I should submit to my husband as Christ submitted to the Father.
Lord help me to be an Excellent Wife.