Submitting In Marriage (Marriage Monday)

(A Pretty Little Valentines Cupcake.FEB14th/12)

Being truly transformed in Christ will flip our human nature on its head.  In Ephesians 5 Paul shows he clearly understood, through the guidance of the Holy Ghost, that men and women alike, although in different ways unique to our sex, are inherently selfish.   Thus comes the call to SUBMIT to one another.  Seeking out our own desires and benefits can not coexist with a healthy lifestyle in Christ.

Marriage requires SO MUCH trust in ones life partner.  If I had felt I could not trust a man to lead my family I wouldn't have entered holy matrimony.  In fact, I had no intentions of putting myself under the headship of another man once I was free to leave my fathers home.  I had grand plans to live on my own with a cabin, a farm and a successful career in the library field. Jesus had something better in mind.  I had no idea this better future involved a complex love that would push me, and growing me, and would be found in the arms of the man God created for me.  I married Garnet because I knew I could trust and respect him; both of which sprang out of the love.  I married him because I saw with in us the ability to compromise and work together, I had a strong hope in a continual growth of character that would make putting one another first easier.

(2010)

Submission is so important in a marriage, like bending prevents one from breaking.  A woman can, through submission, seek to protect a mans reputation, give him honor before her children and help him in his call on earth with her love, support and sharing of her gifts; yet ultimately my man understands all this must come from Christ first.  I am human, I will fail him, so all submission and trust must FIRST be in his Saviour.  The same part of the Bible that speaks of women submitting to their man also clearly points out a large calling to the men, to love their wives as Christ did the Church.  I have also had to expect his shortcomings in this area.  He is human and will fail me.  I too must expect such a high calling to first come through my relationship with my Jesus. 

Submission on my part and sacrificial love on his part can't be done in our own strength, or even with extensive knowledge and understanding of the scriptures.  It is a larger then life request that we can only hope to succeed in through Jesus Christ.  FIRST we must be submitting our good and bad to Christ, both of us must be living out THE CALL and every waking moment in Jesus.... as worship to Jesus.  The rest will work itself out as we are transformed in and by our Lord.

P.S. Click on the below link-y to check out the other contributions to this weeks topic:)




TTFN