Friday, July 15, 2011

Ephesians 5:21-27

Scripture: Ephesians 5: 21-27
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
27 and present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Observations:
Oh to be a radiant bride! Not like the WE TV shows with the platinum weddings or say yes to the dress, but a holy bride. Radiant because of holiness. A wife of noble character like Proverbs 31. A verse I love is "she brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life" Prov 31:12... I think that defines submission in a different way. Not just "I'll let you lead" but to strive to bring someone only good, regardless of the situation. What I've learned about myself is that my words can be just like sticks and stones. God is refining me and teaching patience as I wait.
        
Application:
The more we submit to God, the better we'll be at submitting to others. How are we submitting to God? That will reflect exactly how we are submitting to husbands and to others. Are we taking control? Are we worrying ourselves sick? Are we despairing? Are we cold? Are we harsh? Are we impatient? Are we angry? The root cause and core of those problems is usually how much we're seeking God, how much we're praying, how much we're surrendering to Him, and how much we acknowledge who is in control. I usually sit somewhere between anxious and impatient. What I need, I have in Him. I know it, but it needs to sink in deeper.

Prayer:
Father, we submit our lives to You. You know best! You loved us first. You've never failed us, yet we hold on so tightly to all these fears and worries. We let the world convince us we are inadequate. We let Satan whisper that we aren't happy, that we're lacking so much. God, You always provide. You always comfort. Encouraged by Your power, help us submit our lives to You. Show us how to be better wives, mothers, friends, daughters, and disciples. I pray we are able to bring good, not harm, to all the people You've put in our lives. Help us to workout those deep-rooted issues that rot away at the core of our relationships. You are sovereign. In Christ's name I pray, amen!

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