Why I Submit: Government

I earlier posted about submitting to my husband. You can read about that here This is a second post about submission, something modern Americans believe to be a belittling act, but they couldn't be more wrong.
I want to talk to you about David.
David was a shepherd boy who was chosen and anointed by the Lord to be the next king of God's chosen people. However, while he was anointed the future king, the present king, Saul, still occupied the throne.
When Saul is first exposed to David he likes him, but he quickly realizes that this young man will take his throne and that the Lord is with him. He begins to despise David deeply and seeks to kill him. As a result, David runs and hides from Saul.
Twice while in hiding David is presented with the opportunity to kill Saul and save himself from the king's pursuit. However, the first time David merely cuts the robe of King Saul and the second, having felt tremendous guilt for cutting the King's robe, David refrains altogether. This is where we see the famous verse:





"The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD's anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go." - I Samuel 26:11
Often, I've heard the phrase, "Touch not the Lord's anointed!" applied to pastors. That is taking this passage out of context. We are not speaking of preachers of the Word, but of the governmental authority.
David was pursued and persecuted by his king. The king he'd humbly served as citizen, soldier, and son-in-law. But, when the opportunity to overthrow the king was presented to him, David submitted to the authority of his government and showed the king kindness that Saul would not have shown to him.
Like David, Christians in the USA (and most nations) have something that the government does not, the Lord. We know that He will protect and sustain us when or if the government persecutes us. We also know that the Lord appoints the rulers of the nations, and therefore to rebel against our leadership is to rebel against the Most High!



"Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well." - Peter 2:13 & 14

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." - Romans 13:1