The key to grace lies in these five small words. Only in submitting
our way completely to God's way are we granted access to his
marvelous grace. Many times Christians do not even recognize that
their submission to God is lacking until it begins to show in the
daily trials of life. Maybe you have felt it in the extra irritation
toward someone who violated your rights, or perhaps the unfairness
of a situation brought a sting of resentment that settled in your
spirit. Have you even tried to rebuke the devil or resist temptation
only to find that your effort failed?
The surrounding verses in this passage speak of obtaining grace and
resisting temptation. It is God's desire that we be victorious in
life. Our will is the only thing that can separate us from the
blessings of God. As long as we are following the dictates of our
fleshly desires and wisdom, we can not receive anything from the
Lord. Only when we surrender without resistance to Him is He able to
minister grace to us in our weakness and need.
A.J. Gordon spoke of the power of grace in these words:
"It costs much to obtain the power of the Spirit. It costs self
surrender and humiliation, and a yielding up of our most precious
things to God. It costs the perseverance of long waiting, and the
faith of strong trust. But when we are really in that power, we
shall find this difference, that whereas before, it was hard for us
to do the easiest things, now it is easy for us to do the hard
things."
Let us value the gift of God's grace enough to remain in the lowly
place where we may receive it.
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will
flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you."
James 4:6-8a
