Does God ever submit to you?

When I heard that Rachel Held Evans, as part of her biblical womanhood project, was going to call her husband “Master,” I unsuccessfully tried to repress the hot flash of childhood memories of “I Dream of Jeannie” re-runs and the strange new feelings Barbara Eden evoked in me.  But once I was able to shake that off, I started to empathize with how hard the “master” thing would be, not just for Rachel but for her husband Dan.  Sure, there is part of the male primate psyche that gets off on being submitted to.  But the idea of that submission being rigidly one-way–rather than dynamic, free-flowing, and mutual–it’s just not sexy.

What I find in the Bible is a God who is the being-together and submitting-to-one-another of Jesus, his Father, and their Spirit.  And I find a humanity in which that divine life is being earthed in human relationships.  The Shack seems to see it similarly:

“That’s the beauty you see in my relationship with Abba and Sarayu.  We are indeed submitted to one another and have always been so and always will be.  Papa is as much submitted to me as I to him, or Sarayu to me, or Papa to her.  Submission is not about authority and it is not obedience; it is all about relationships of love and respect.  In fact, we are submitted to you in the same way.”

Mack was surprised. “How can that be? Why would the God of the universe want to be submitted to me?”

“Because we want you to join us in our circle of relationship.  I don’t want slaves to my will; I want brothers and sisters who will share life with me… When I am your life, submission is the most natural expression of my character and nature, and it will be the most natural expression of your new nature within relationships.”

Submission as an aspect of healthy human relationships comes straight out of the nature of God.  But as the apostle Paul so rightly observed, proper submission is always mutual  (Ephesians 5.21).

Even Barbara Eden likes to be called “master” sometimes.

Shacking up with mutuality

This post is part of the
Week of Mutuality synchroblog
#mutuality2012

My vision of God used to be something like:

1. God, the elderly white guy on the throne.
2. Jesus, his trusty sidekick or assistant or secretary or something.

The point is, it was always quite clear which one was “in charge.”  This was always emphasized to me as being very important—knowing who was in charge and who wasn’t.  Because ultimately, humans are made in the image of God, and “being-in-charge” is super-important to God (so much so that those who don’t like it get eternally barbecued), so when I dominate other people, I am being godly.  Right?

This vision of God informed my early attempts at being married, but I quickly found that didn’t work.  I quickly found that what DID work was collaboration, shared responsibility, and each of us submitting to each other in different situations at different times—what my friend Rachel Held Evans is calling “MUTUALITY.”

Something I love about THE SHACK is the way Papa, Jesus & Sarayu submit to one another.  Leaving aside for the moment the fact that this is just good theology, it is a vision that rings true to real life for me.  I have never seen domination systems work without chewing people up—crucifying them, if you will.

What I have seen work is relationships where authority is fluid, moving from person to person under the dictates of love and wisdom and shared purpose, not according to religiously inspired pecking orders or who can pee standing up.

———————–

P.S. – Here is the ShackBible interpretive reading of a Bible text relevant to this issue:

Ephesians 5.21-30

(21) Jesus lays down his life for you and for everyone around you. To share in his glorious life is to share in his self-emptying, to put it on every day like a garment. So lay down your lives for one another; SUBMIT TO ONE ANOTHER.  Here are some examples of what I mean:

(22) Wives, look at how Jesus lays down his life for your husband. Join him in doing that. (23) As Jesus takes care of the church, as the head takes care of the body, your husband’s job is to take care of you. (24) Receive your husband’s care for you, as the church receives care from Jesus.

(25) Husbands, look at how Jesus lays down his life for your wife. Join him in doing that. Love her like Jesus loves the church. Jesus gave himself up for her, (26) telling her the truth about herself so as to make her whole, (27) beautiful, flawless, glorious. (28) Husbands, love your wives like that. Care for her like you care for your own body. (29) Nourish and tenderly care for her, just like Jesus does for the church, (30) because we are his body.

Ascended to the kitchen

I get a lot out of The Shack‘s emotionally satisfying vision of God, but I’m a thinker, as well as a feeler.  I’m a scientist; I’m interested in finding the structures and patterns of how the real world works.  So when I read The Shack, I’m also asking questions like: “Is this the way things really are?  How do we know?  Why do they work this way and not some other way?”

I bring it up because today (May 17, 2012) is a celebration of an historical event that changed the nature of the cosmos into the basic situation we see in The Shack (human fellowship with the Triune God).  It’s the Ascension of the resurrected Jesus. At Easter, the human race became something bigger than Death.  On Ascension day, the human race became something that hangs out at God’s kitchen table.

Remember, the whole Jesus drama had a singular goal–the inclusion of the human race (and all of Creation) at the kitchen table of Infinity.  Jesus came to be with us in all the depths of our glorious crap, including the 6-feet-under depth for which we are all destined. And with him we were raised from those depths, not just to the level of life we had before, but to the aliveness of the very heavens.  To that eternal kitchen table of banter, butter and beans.

It is in the Ascension that Jesus accomplished this.  We live in the Shack with Papa, Jesus & Sarayu, whether we see it or not.  We feast at that kitchen table, whether we believe it or not.  Jesus was happy to carry us here himself. And it really did happen.

I like to think I’m beginning to wake up and smell the beans.

(If these ideas are new to you, my friend Jonathan today has a post that goes into more depth).

Epiphany for a gentile

(Okay, so this isn’t exactly Shack-oriented, but I wanted to share this post about Epiphany that I wrote for the Trinity and Humanity blog today.  Enjoy!).

Imagine you are a member of an ancient tribe.  The earth is chock-full of gods, but the one who lives in your area is the one who affects your life.  You have carefully groomed this deity with gifts and flattery (a.k.a., “worship”), so that he will think positively of you and grant you occasional favors.  If you have been really diligent in your flattery, you can have some reasonable expectation that your god will save you from your enemies (who, coincidentally, have the same arrangement with their gods).

As far as you can tell, the nearby tribe of Jews seems to have a similar relationship with their “Yahweh.”  Just like you, they work hard at stroking their god’s ego, and they feed him lots of whatever food he likes (Yahweh seems partial to blood and meat), and they expect him to send them a “Messiah” to crush their enemies.  Good for them.

But one of the Jewish splinter groups believes that Yahweh has already sent their Messiah, this Jesus.  Okay, whatever.  But here’s the weird part:  They are saying that their messiah is your savior, that their Yahweh has crushed your enemies.  That Jesus is not only the Messiah of the Jews, but is also the Savior of the whole world and all the people in it.  Huh?

Here’s their logic:  They say Yahweh is not just their local deity, but the Creator of everything, the God of gods (including yours).  They say Yahweh’s kindness to them is a gift, not dependent on the quality of their sacrifices and worship.  Taking the weirdness even further, they say Yahweh has been kind to them for the express purpose of extending his unconditional kindness to all people, including you.  They call this “the mystery of the ages” (Ephesians 3.6).  It’s a mystery alright…

But if they’re right, if this Jesus is what they say he is, it means the world does not work the way you think it does.  This is worth thinking about more…

Eph 2.1-10 – We are already in heaven!

You were utterly lifeless, totally stuck in un-boundaried ways of living, (2) just like the rest of the world, following the world’s all-pervading spirit of darkness. (3) We were all once in that same place, just doing what felt good at the time, but then getting stuck with the nasty consequences.

(4) But Papa, who overflows with kindness, (5) because she loved us even when we were dead, resurrected us when she resurrected Jesus.  Union with Jesus is her free gift to us!  (6) In Jesus, Papa raised us to heaven and seated us next to her, (7) so that we can spend forever experiencing just how far her kindness goes.  (8) It is her kindness alone that is making us whole as we come to believe the truth about her. Even our believing itself is Jesus’ accomplishment, (9) not ours, so we can’t even brag about that. (10) We are what she made us in Jesus—agents of goodness, exactly what Papa always meant for us to be.

Ephesians 5.21 – 6.9 – The dance of mutual submission

[Here's a re-post of one from our Greatest Hits]…

Jesus lays down his life for you and for everyone around you. To share in his glorious life is to share in his self-emptying, to put it on every day like a garment. So lay down your lives for one another; SUBMIT TO ONE ANOTHER.  Here are some examples of what I mean:

(22) Wives, look at how Jesus lays down his life for your husband. Join him in doing that. (23) As Jesus takes care of the church, as the head takes care of the body, your husband’s job is to take care of you. (24) Receive your husband’s care for you, as the church receives care from Jesus.

(25) Husbands, look at how Jesus lays down his life for your wife. Join him in doing that. Love her like Jesus loves the church. Jesus gave himself up for her, (26) telling her the truth about herself so as to make her whole, (27) beautiful, flawless, glorious. (28) Husbands, love your wives like that. Care for her like you care for your own body. (29) Nourish and tenderly care for her, just like Jesus does for the church, (30) because we are his body. (31) “A man leaves his father and mother to be unified with his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” (32) This is a profound mystery, the way a husband and wife are like Jesus and his church. (33) Anyway, the husband-wife relationship is meant to be one of love and respect.

(6.1) Children, look at how Jesus lays down his life for your parents. Join him in doing that. It is good for you to do what you’re told. (2) “Honor your father and mother…”–this bit of instruction carries a promise with it– (3) “…that you will live long and prosper.”

(4) Fathers, look at how Jesus lays down his life for your children. Join him in doing that. Don’t be a jerk. Instead, share in Papa’s work of parenting her children, patiently and persistently teaching them to live in truth.

(5) Slaves, look at how Jesus lays down his life for your earthly masters. Join him in doing that. As you obey the Eternal Master, obey also your temporary masters with respect and love. (6) We are all slaves of Jesus, following his orders, not because we want to impress him or suck up to him, but because we love him. (7) Find joy in being a servant, because ultimately you are not serving a mere human master; you are serving the Real Master. (8) We receive the Triune life of goodness by doing good, by participating in goodness wherever we are. This is true for all of us, slave or free.

(9) Masters, look at how Jesus lays down his life for your slaves. Join him in doing that. Don’t threaten them; love them. They do not belong to you; they belong to Him, and so do you. Do for them what The Master has done for you.

Eph 6.10-24 – Power.

(10) Finally, brothers and sisters, live strong. Move through the world with Sarayu’s unbounded strength in your muscles. (11) Everyday, before you face the Enemy, gear up. (12) Remember, we fight not AGAINST bad people but FOR them. We make war with the evil forces and mythologies that still darken the minds of Papa’s children, and we shall not relent until darkness lies dead at our feet. (13) So get your armor on. Put on the Trinity—Papa, Jesus, and Sarayu. In them you are bulletproof:

• (14) Stand, warrior of Light, and be true. Truth is your belt; without it, everything falls down.
• Protect your heart by sharing in Jesus’ heart — his singleminded desire for his eternal kingdom of justice and rightness.
• (15) Your combat boots are running shoes, your eager preparedness to speak truth to power, to speak peace to hate.
• (16) Rely on the steadfast faithfulness of Jesus, a shield which no armor-piercing rocket can penetrate.
• (17) His gift of healing/salvation is your helmet. Strap it on; refuse to allow the The Man’s poison whispers to cloud your mind.
• Wield with skill the sword of Sarayu, the Word of Papa, the Truth of all truths. (18) Keep your mind tuned into Sarayu’s voice at all times. You are part of the Triune conversation now, so be an active participant. Be constantly sharing in the Trinity’s work of being aware of and meeting the needs of others.  

(19) Speaking of needs, ask Papa for what I need — a clear message for every audience I meet, so that I can speak boldly to them the mystery of the gospel — (20) you know, the kind of behavior that keeps landing me in jail. =)  Ask Papa to make me fearless.

(21) I am sending Tychicus to tell you the whole story about what’s going on here; he is a dear brother and a reliable laborer with Jesus. (22) He will tell you what’s up with me, and he will share his courage with your hearts. (23) I ask Jesus and his Papa to fill your community with the love/joy/peace of Sarayu, (24) and to fill your experience with their grace, as you fall in love forever with our Master Jesus.

Eph 5.21-6.9 – The dance of mutual submission

Jesus lays down his life for you and for everyone around you. To share in his glorious life is to share in his self-emptying, to put it on every day like a garment. So lay down your lives for one another; SUBMIT TO ONE ANOTHER.  Here are some examples of what I mean:

(22) Wives, look at how Jesus lays down his life for your husband. Join him in doing that. (23) As Jesus takes care of the church, as the head takes care of the body, your husband’s job is to take care of you. (24) Receive your husband’s care for you, as the church receives care from Jesus.

(25) Husbands, look at how Jesus lays down his life for your wife. Join him in doing that. Love her like Jesus loves the church. Jesus gave himself up for her, (26) telling her the truth about herself so as to make her whole, (27) beautiful, flawless, glorious. (28) Husbands, love your wives like that. Care for her like you care for your own body. (29) Nourish and tenderly care for her, just like Jesus does for the church, (30) because we are his body. (31) “A man leaves his father and mother to be unified with his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” (32) This is a profound mystery, the way a husband and wife are like Jesus and his church. (33) Anyway, the husband-wife relationship is meant to be one of love and respect.

(6.1) Children, look at how Jesus lays down his life for your parents. Join him in doing that. It is good for you to do what you’re told. (2) “Honor your father and mother…”–this bit of instruction carries a promise with it– (3) “…that you will live long and prosper.”

(4) Fathers, look at how Jesus lays down his life for your children. Join him in doing that. Don’t be a jerk. Instead, share in Papa’s work of parenting her children, patiently and persistently teaching them to live in truth.

(5) Slaves, look at how Jesus lays down his life for your earthly masters. Join him in doing that. As you obey the Eternal Master, obey also your temporary masters with respect and love. (6) We are all slaves of Jesus, following his orders, not because we want to impress him or suck up to him, but because we love him. (7) Find joy in being a servant, because ultimately you are not serving a mere human master; you are serving the Real Master. (8) We receive the Triune life of goodness by doing good, by participating in goodness wherever we are. This is true for all of us, slave or free.

(9) Masters, look at how Jesus lays down his life for your slaves. Join him in doing that. Don’t threaten them; love them. They do not belong to you; they belong to Him, and so do you. Do for them what The Master has done for you.

Eph 5.1-20 – Get high on Sarayu

(5.1) Set your heart on growing up to be like your Papa who loves you so much.  (2) The Master loved us, gave up everything for us, giving himself completely to Papa on our behalf.  This is the love that has eternally embraced you.  Live in that.  Put it on. Wear it.

(3) Be especially careful in matters regarding:

1. Your sexuality
2. Your consumption of resources
3. Your mouth 

These are forces more powerful than you realize, and they require rock-solid boundaries if they are to be handled safely. (4)  Don’t talk trash; speak gratitude.  (5) To fill your life with out-of-control sex and consumption is to EMPTY your life of the love/joy/peace that is your inheritance. (6) Don’t be fooled: When you let these forces overflow their boundaries, they become poison. And Papa is infinitely intolerant of the poisoning of her children. (7) If your friends are poisoning you, it’s time to get new friends.

(8) You are not in the dark anymore.  Light is your Father.  Blast off from that launchpad, and see what happens! (9) Light makes stuff happen, good stuff.  Wherever you find truth, goodness, and beauty, you are meeting the Light there. 

(10) Learn from the Master what is pleasurable and what isn’t. Because He knows.  (11) Darkness is useless; don’t waste your time with it.  Instead, shine light on it! Speak truth to the lie. (12) We bring our shame to the surface when we talk about our lies and secrets; (13) Exposing them to the light makes them visible and robs them of their power.  (14) When your darkness becomes visible, that’s the first step toward becoming light. 

“Wake up sleepyhead! Leave your dark grave and bask in the light of the Master.” 

(15) Live consciously. Don’t be dumb. (16) Don’t waste your time (17) Instead, seek out the Master’s good work, and do that.

(18) Don’t numb yourself with booze; instead, get high on Sarayu (19) as you get on with the serious business of heaven—JOY.  Shout.  Praise.  Sing.  Hum. (20) Saturate your days with gratitude, thanking Papa for everything, in the name of our Master Jesus.

Eph 4.24-32 – Jesus and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

In his own flesh Jesus has knitted together a brand-new humanity, and he has taught us to put it on like a new set of clothes—our new life that shares fully in the Triune passion for goodness in our souls and in the world:

• (25) When we feel tempted to lie, we put on the Master’s transparency, because we know we are part of each other.
• (26) When we feel angry with each other, we put on the Master’s passion for reconciliation. We talk it out promptly and completely, (27) to protect our relationship from the Enemy.
• (28) When we start to get obsessed with things we don’t have, we put on the Master’s generosity, working hard so as to earn something to share with others.
• (29) When we feel tempted to use words destructively, we put on the Master’s gracious, constructive speech.

(30) Sarayu has marked you for an eternal life of freedom. Don’t resist her work; she hates that. (31) Take off the old rags that are unworthy of you—bitterness, rage, manipulation, gossip, and malice. (32) Instead, put on the kindness and tenderness of Jesus. He has given you grace. Pass it on.