Last time, I wrote about Chapter Four in the book "Created to Be His Help Meet: Discover How God Can Make Your Marriage Glorious" by Debi Pearl which was about having a thanksgiving produces joy. If you're just joining us, you can start at Chapter One, Chapter Two and Chapter Three. Many of this book's topics aren't popular today and will require us to be serious with ourselves and God. If you're ready, let's go!
Chapter Five: The Gift of Wisdom
Debi Pearl writes "Do you have enough fear of God not to question His Word?" For example, when God's word says we were created to be our husband's help meet, do we follow it unquestioningly? Or do we, in the back of our minds and subtle actions, try to do things our own way?
We need to remember that when we serve and honor our husbands, we serve Christ. Our husbands may not deserve it, but we are still to serve them. We can't follow our feelings in this area. You may not always feel like serving your husband and this is where Godly wisdom comes in. God promises in His word (James 1:5) that He will give wisdom to all those who ask. But you have to ask. Debi writes:
A woman's calling is not easy. To allow someone else to control your life is much harder than taking control of it yourself. It can be a challenge, even for veteran wives. Don't despair. With wisdom from on high, you can be the woman God uses, if not to change that old man into a wonderful fellow, then at least to ease your own burden and become a heavenly bride fit for the Son of God Himself
She does on to explain that many people today are too timid to teach and follow God's Word as it is written today. How often do you hear "The original language really means..." or "You see, that culture..." I believe God knew enough to be able to write and preserve His Word in a way that I can understand and believe, therefore I take Him at His Word. Sometimes, deeper study can help give me clarification and deeper understanding, but I try to never use outside tools to alter the Word to fit my personal agenda.
God's word gives three main points in His blueprint for a married Christian woman:
- God commands wives to submit to their OWN husbands
- God informs men that they are the head of the wife
- God tells wives to be subject to their husbands in everything, every decision, every move, every plan and all everyday affairs
It's about my heart attitude too. I once heard "Obedience is in action, submission is in the heart." I can submit in my heart, but fail to act it out in obedience and I can obey in actions, but not really submit to my husband's authority in my heart. My husband often says he doesn't just want me to do what he wants, but he wants my heart to be towards submitting to him. It makes all the difference in the world and when my heart is towards submitting to him, doing what he asks is easier.
All of this takes wisdom from God. There are times when I really don't want to submit to my husband. It's these times that it takes faith in God that He really does want me to submit and act it out. This is faith in action, obeying what God's Word directs me to do. I need God's wisdom and strong faith sometimes to go along when I don't feel like it. I thank God that He gives wisdom liberally and it's a GIFT, not something that is earned, because I really need it!
Questions to ponder this week:
- Do I believe God's Word for what it says?
- Do I really believe that it's God's will for me to submit to my husband?
- To I "show" my faith by acting out what I say I believe about my relationship with my husband?
- Do I ask God to give me wisdom? Do I acknowledge that I need His gift of wisdom in submitting to my husband, especially when I don't want to?
1 comments:
for me obedience is easier than submission. i had never really thought of it that way before. thanks for this :)
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