22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do 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 to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.” – Ephesians 5:22-32 (NIV)
“You’re not even worried at all?”my friend uttered as we were riding in my car, enjoying some quality time as friends do.
“Not at all!” I replied with firmness, as I got done spilling my heart’s contents to her regarding what I was going through at work.
“Well, you got support anyway…”she added.
She meant I have a great husband who is always there to lend me a hand, who is always there to support me in every rough seas I encounter when I sail, the one who readily offers his love, kindness, his shoulders when I need to cry, the one who has not changed from the time we had made those vows to be “together whether in sickness or in health, for richer or for poorer….” Instead, he did change not for the worse but to be better and in each day that passes by, we both learn from both the good and the bad that comes along our married life.
“How true!” I thought to myself.
“I wonder if it would be different with my mental attitude if I didn’t have the kind of support that comes from him? And along with that support, I also have reassurance from the product of our love (our child) who despite the young age, understands the bumps we encounter on this journey we’re all in, knowing the truth that it is unavoidable. Yet, he knows, as he observes from my husband’s and my steps as we walk, the many divine assistance we all get from those nail-scarred Hands Who promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us.”
And how grateful I am that the Lord provides this kind of relationship that only exists and lasts if there is Love in the middle. The above Scripture just describes how truly our marriage is a beautiful analogy of what Christ’s relationship is with the body, His church! That’s us!And no wonder that our spiritual enemy will of course, take notice and devise plans to make this relationship not work! He can try all he wants to do but if a Christian's spiritual walk is deeply rooted in His love, He is there protecting His bride! The moment we are united with Christ, He gave us His power and might and dressed us up with His Armor.
It is a beautiful, tender relationship that can weather any storm. It is a precious relationship that needs love, ready to compromise, understands that “submitting” is not a losing ground but winning and persevering in the midst of the worst of life’s storms. It is ready to mend. Ready to compromise. Ready to sacrifice. Because He did it first. And Jesus is LOVE. That’s what He offered to us. Love that is not like what this world knows. This is the kind of love that is shared not only with Him, nor with others, but especially with our enemies...The kind that lasts forever…
Let us worship the Lord together and say "We love Him back! Thank You Lord for Your love that lasts for eternity!"
Eternity (Misty Edwards)
Eternities
Eternity's eternal song,
Is drawing me away, it's calling me away
It's calling me away
All flesh is grass, fading away.
Only You last, only You remain
All flesh is grass, fading away.
Only You last, only You remain same,
You never change.
Holy, holy, holy,
You are fairer than then sons of men
Eternities
Eternity's eternal song,
Is drawing me away, it's calling me away
It's calling me away
Surely man is like the flower of the field,
And life is but a vapor, at best but a vapor.
Surely man is like a flower of the field,
And the fragrance but a vapor, at best but a vapor.
But you O God,
Are better than a thousand blooms.
Hallelujah, Amen! (x6)
Eternities
Eternity's eternal song,
Is drawing me away, it's calling me away
It's calling me away
Eternities
Eternity's eternal song
STUFF
1 week ago