Submit

To submit is a hard yet important task we need to learn. To submit to God, to submit to local authority, to submit to church leaders, to submit to parents, to submit to spouse. It's so hard because we all have the desire to call the shots, to determine for ourselves. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
We were heading out the door to go to playground. When the kids were putting on shoes, Abby had the idea of putting a ribbon through the straps of her Crocs so it wouldn't fall out of her feet. I asked her not do that and put the ribbon back. She stomped her feet as she headed back upstairs to put away the ribbon.
I asked her whether she stomped her feet because she was mad at what I asked her to do? She said yes. I told her she cannot go to the playground to play. She had to sit in the car and watch Annabel and I play in the playground. She immediately started crying.
After we arrived at the playground, I told her to stay in her seat for 5 minutes and then she can come out to play. When I went to get her, I explained that she submitted outwardly to my command. But in her heart, she did not submit.
God cares about our heart. If we sin in our hearts, we need to be punished for disobedience.

In a different occasion, Abby was telling Annabel not to ruin the crayons by dipping them in the paint. She kept repeating herself, because Annabel was ignoring her. Nick called Abby over to tell her to leave Annabel alone. Even though Abby didn't protest, she sighed and gave Nick a defiant stare. Nick went ahead and hit her arm and explained it was for her attitude.
Later, Abby came to the kitchen. I started to talk to her. I said even if she felt she was right, she needed to submit to daddy. Daddy is the leader of this household. We are called to submit to him by God. Can daddy be wrong at times? Sure. We are human and can make mistakes and can sin. But God will deal with daddy. God will convict daddy when he is wrong. God will work in daddy's heart in God's time. That's God's job. Our job is to submit to our leader. The rest we trust it to God.

In Genesis 20, Abraham told people Sarah (his wife) was his sister, because he was afraid people would kill him for his beautiful wife. Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her. Now, this is the second time Abraham had done something like this (first time in Genesis 12). I can just imagine what went through Sarah's mind. Yet she submitted and God intervened. King Abimelech did not touch Sarah and returned her to Abraham.
When I submit, I am not necessarily trusting in my husband (or thinking he is correct). Sometimes he makes mistakes, too. I am trusting God who can intervene, even when my husband was wrong. (Like Abby, I am learning about submission. And I fail at times, too)