He needs RESPECT

One of my favorite passages of Scripture is "Just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear." ~ 1 Peter 3:16

Lord:  human master, ruler.  One who has due power ownership, control, or authority over others.  A term of respect for ones father, rulers and government officials, teachers, et al.

Yep.  That's what he needs ladies: reverence.  A man needs his ego fed.  That's just how the Lord designed him.


I try and I fall and I try and I fall. And I will keep trying (and falling).

So what does it say, ladies, to our man when we treat him as lord? 

We say to them that we:

  • trust him
  • we think he's capable
  • he has favor with us
  • we respect him
  • and yes, we love him
To put it in today's terminology we're basically telling him that we think "He's all that!"

Now...how do we follow in Sarah's footsteps?


WE SUBMIT

Ouch!  I know for some that hurts, but it's God's plan.

When we submit to our husbands (or others for that matter), we're not being voiceless or acting like a doormat.  On the contrary we are willingly bringing ourselves under the subject of someone else.  We voluntarily submit to God and our husbands out of love and respect to God's authority first.

Ephesians 5:21 tells us to "Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ."

Submissions ladies (and self) can be very effective.

Will it be unpleasant at times?  You bet ya.  Just look at what Jesus had to go through.  He submitted to DEATH so that we could be SAVED.  Not many of us will have to go to that extreme, but we will have unpleasant circumstances at times that we will have to submit to.

REMEMBER...

  • Our submission never requires us to DISOBEY God or to participate in something that our conscience is clearly forbidding.


If you're in a tough marriage or situation with someone who has authority over you, your circumstance requires tremendous strength on your part.  So draw from the Holy Spirit to get you through, and remember:

  • You are not weaker intellectually, inferior or by any other means when you choose to be obedient and submit.

Lastly, remember submission is the best way to not only show God we love, trust and respect Him, but it's a good start in letting our husbands know we feel the same way about them.

Try it today!


{A repost from the archives}


Today's post linked at Time Warp Wife, Raising Homemakers and A Holy Experience
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Comments

  1. I liked that. Wow. Didnt know you blogged? I too believe in submission. It is very difficult at times, but I know in my heart that its right. Im still working on this because there are days when, its not quite submissive, but God is still good and I am still willing to learn.I have to rest in knowing that God will make EVERYTHING alright Be Blessed!

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  2. I agree. Christ submitted to the Father in everything - He came to do His will, and John 6:57 in my opinion teaches the eternal subordination of the Son to the Father (instead of submission being something that only occured while Christ was on earth as some  Christian feminists argue.) Submission doesn't devalue a person - it makes them more like Christ!
     Because of the fall, and our sin nature (as well as real abuses by sinful men), submission is hard, actually impossible without the Holy Spirit's. But if you let the Lord work on you in this area, it can transform your marriage! You actually enter into the mystery of marriage mirroring Christ and the church. Your husband doesn't feel emasculated, and isn't afraid to be honest with you and take the lead, and God is glorified! And it can work wonders for your love life :).

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  3. This area of faith has been on my heart a lot in recent months.  It is so counter cultural, it hits you like a train when you finally "get it." And then trying to LIVE it - boy oh boy, after a lifetime of living the world's way, it takes a whole lot of prayer and reminding myself and failure and trying again!

    Thank you for sharing your thoughts and encouragement.

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  4. Hi Rachel, thank you for your comment.  I couldn't agree more about it being counter-cultural.  

    It is a beautiful thing, I think, when the parties understand the role and why it is done

    ReplyDelete

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