Who's In Charge Here? A Series on Authority
Thursday, January 29, 2004
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My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, many times Your word is difficult to understand, so I pray today for wisdom and discernment as I read. Many times Your word is easy to understand, but quite difficult to apply. I pray for the power of Your Holy Spirit to live out the teachings I find in Your word as I read and study it. Glorify Yourself in my life today. As Jesus commanded, let me “salt” and “light” to a dark and hurting world. Use me today to be Your eyes, ears, hands-whatever is needed, that at least one person will know Jesus, or will know Him better, because of my interaction with them. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Bible Verses
Ephesians 5:21-33
21And further, you will submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22You wives will submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord. 23For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of his body, the church; he gave his life to be her Savior. 24As the church submits to Christ, so you wives must submit to your husbands in everything.
25And you husbands must love your wives with the same love Christ showed the church. He gave up his life for her 26to make her holy and clean, washed by baptism and God’s word. 27He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man is actually loving himself when he loves his wife. 29No one hates his own body but lovingly cares for it, just as Christ cares for his body, which is the church. 30And we are his body.
31As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” 32This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. 33So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Reflecting on God's Word
How long do you think is an appropriate “engagement” period for a couple to be prepared to live in a marriage of love and respect as today’s Scripture teaches?
A Deeper Exploration of God's Word
This is our third time through today’s Scripture. What did you see in this time of reading through that you did not see before?
Understanding God's Purpose for Us
What is God speaking to your heart right now about the His purpose for Your life as it relates to today’s Scripture?
Applying God's Word to Our Purpose
What one change does God need to make in your life right now as a result of reading today’s Scripture?
Thoughts: United in One...
The Apostle Paul’s quote of Genesis 2:24 in verse 31: 31As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one,” was also quoted by Jesus when He was asked about marriage by the Pharisees. This means that the Bible includes the same teaching on the design of marriage in the Old Testament, in the Gospels and in the Epistles. When a concept, or in this case an exact verse is referenced in all three places, we know that it is important. The instructions in this simple verse are quite clear: in order for a marriage to be as God intended three things must happen: 1) the man must LEAVE his father and mother; 2) the couple must CLEAVE or be joined to his wife; and 3) the couple must ACHIEVE unity. Leave, cleave and achieve. For this brief rhyme, I am indebted to Dr. Howard Hendricks, a pastor, professor, writer and speaker, whose wisdom has benefited many in the Christian community on a variety of topics.
Dr. Hendricks contends that when any marriage experiences difficulty that it will be in one of these three places. Either the husband or the wife have not truly “left” their family of origin—are still getting advice and or security, or are being controlled from there; or the husband and wife are not truly cleaving or being joined to one another—there are distractions, possibly work, possibly another person, possibly children, it could be many things, but the point is that the two have not embraced each other as the most important relationship in each other’s lives next to their relationship with Jesus; or the couple have not become one. This oneness is not just a physical or sexual oneness, but a oneness of heart, mind and spirit as well. Dr. Hendricks points out that setting goals for the marriage is extremely helpful in attaining oneness. After all, unless the “oarsmen” know where the “boat” is headed, it will be tough to “row” in that direction! If you are married and you are reading this meditation, it may be quite profitable to sit down with your spouse and make an assessment of where you are in these three areas of leaving, cleaving and achieving (oneness.) In fact, it may be one of the most important investments you can make in improving your marriage and making it one that reflects God’s intentions!