Daily Devotional: Created to Rule, Called to Submit
- David A. Case
- Apr 8
- 3 min read
By David A. Case
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion…’” - Genesis 1:26a (NKJV)
God created human beings to rule. Genesis says we were made in His image and given dominion. Ruling consists of making choices. That means choice is not a side issue for the human heart. It is central to our design. When we feel like we have no choice, we feel violated, powerless, and diminished.
The key word there is feel. God does not take away human choice, yet He does impose consequences. He is righteous. He is orderly. The universe reflects His order so clearly that we describe it in laws: gravity, inertia, sowing and reaping. These laws do not eliminate freedom. They define reality.
This helps me understand why so many people resist God. They interpret consequences as manipulation. They interpret moral boundaries as control. The selfish part says, “If I cannot do what I want without consequence, then I am not free.” Yet that is a childish definition of freedom. True freedom is not the ability to do anything. True freedom is the power to do what is right.
During the millennial reign, Scripture describes Jesus ruling with a rod of iron. That does not mean oppression. It means justice applied without the delays and distortions we see in this age. In our current world, consequences are often delayed. Good things sometimes happen to bad people. Bad things sometimes happen to good people. The selfish man uses that delay to believe he can get away with self-rule. He thinks he can choose selfishness and still be safe.
When consequences are applied clearly, the selfish part feels boxed in. It feels like choice is being removed. Then it reacts. After a thousand years of righteous rule, billions still choose rebellion when Satan is released. That is how strong the craving for self-rule is.
So what does God do? He invites us into a better kind of ruling. He invites us to rule ourselves under His lordship. He invites us to submit, not because submission is humiliation, but because submission restores likeness. Satan enticed humanity with the promise, “You will be like God.” The irony is that rejecting God’s counsel caused humanity to lose the likeness it was chasing.
Submission to God is not the loss of destiny. It is the recovery of destiny. It is the path where choice begins to form the heart in a godly direction. Every time I submit to what my flesh does not like, I am choosing what I want most deeply, even if my surface emotions protest. Over time, those choices shape the person I become.
Reflection Question
Where do I confuse freedom with “no consequences,” and how has that mindset harmed me?
Prayer
Father, thank You for creating me with the dignity of choice. Teach me to use that choice rightly. Help me submit to You not as a loss, but as the path of life and restoration. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Obedience Step for Today
Choose one boundary God has set in His Word that you have resisted. Write down the life it protects, then choose to honor that boundary today in one practical way.
This devotional was inspired by the book Heart Change Handbook by David A. Case. If you found it helpful, please consider it for your own self-study and suggest it to your church small group or recovery community as a basis for small group study.
If this message has encouraged you to pursue deeper transformation, I invite you to continue the journey through The Heart Change Handbook. It provides a practical, biblical path for spiritual growth and is an excellent resource for church small groups and recovery communities. Consider getting your copy today and introducing it to your group as a guide toward meaningful heart change.
👉 Learn more about Small Group Resources from Heart Change U.
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