Discover His heart: He is our example of how to love one another
@ Ephesians 5
This is the time of year we celebrate fathers. Sermons are preached, and articles are written that honor, encourage and challenge them. Not to be outdone, Paul wrote a little on the subject, especially in the area of husbands and wives. “As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.” (24) Words to brighten just about any husband’s day! Of course, through closer scrutiny, we find that this discussion begins with “Submit to one another out of reverence to Christ.
For a wife, this submission means following her husband’s leadership role, and this thought troubles some women, needlessly I think. If something should go wrong in the home, I find it comforting to know that it has happened through no fault of my own. This makes me happy. “For husbands, this [submission] means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up His life for her…” (25) As I see it according to scripture, wives must be willing to submit, and husbands must be willing to submit and die. I’m OK with this.
When we add together all the New Testament scriptures regarding the husband/wife relationship found in Ephesians 5:21-33, Colossians 3:18-19, I Peter 3:3-7 and I Corinthians 7:3, the true, unadulterated breakdown is as follows:
Wives are challenged to:
1) Submit to him as head of the home
2) Respect him
3) Not withhold affection
4) Bring holiness to her marriage.
Husbands are challenged to:
1) Love her as much as he loves himself
2) Love her to the point of dying for her
3) Pray for her
4) Protect her
5) Please her
6) Honor her
7) Treat with understanding
8) Never treat harshly
9) Treat as an equal
10) Not withhold affection
11) Bring holiness to his marriage.
12) And if he does not treat her as he should, God will not hear his prayers. Wow!
@ Ephesians 6
While all this sounds very fair and balanced to me, she says with tongue in cheek, I can’t help but think of the tremendous responsibility this brings to the husband as the head of the home, not only concerning his wife, but also his children. “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord,” (4) and “do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.” (Colossians 3:21)
By His gentleness and compassion for children, Jesus modeled for fathers throughout the gospels how children should be treated, but what an overwhelming task for a father. No wonder our husbands and fathers are targeted by the enemy for destruction, leaving our many homes without fathers struggling to survive. Destroy the king and the country soon follows.
Dads will open lots of ties, books, tools and other gifts at this time of the year, but without a doubt, the greatest gift we can offer them, dads and husbands alike, is our prayers for God to strengthen and protect them and give them the wisdom to handle the enormous responsibilities He has given them.
Moving Forward: With a thankful heart, I pray today and every day for the wonderful father of my children and the fathers of my grandchildren. I pray that God will provide all they need to carry out the great responsibilities before them.
Tomorrow @ Leviticus 4-6
Phyllis Benigas 