“Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake.” 1 Peter 2:13

For the Lord’s Sake

I got sent home from school. I had the lump in my stomach and the faint whiff of shame as if I was in trouble, but I am the teacher now, no longer the fearful student who was terrified of displeasing her teachers. See, someone in my house had been sick, and even though he was mostly better, the COVID test results finally came back and they were positive. I was considered a close contact, so home I went to start my quarantine.

I was not sick, and the person in my house was no longer sick, so I struggled with the frustration of having pent up energy and nowhere to go with it. It felt so ludicrous and arbitrary.

Then I remembered 1 Peter 2:13, “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake.”

Whatever my feelings on this public health ordinance, I can submit to it for the Lord’s sake, not the virus’ sake, or fear’s sake.

And he goes on in verse 15 and 16, “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—as free” (italics added).

I may feel trapped or imprisoned in quarantine, but I am free. And as free, I can choose to willingly submit to what I am being asked to do. I could freely submit to a nasal swab for the Lord’s sake. I could freely let someone else get my groceries, for the Lord’s sake. And at the end of my days of quarantine, I will have the confidence that comes from doing good.

Lord, thank You that as Your child, I am free. I will be loved by You no matter what. I choose today for Your sake, to submit willingly to those ordinances over me, and I know that by doing good, I am doing Your will. Silence the ignorance of the foolish around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.