Hubby & Wifey
And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21
One of the things I have spent years observing is the healthy and unhealthy relationships in life. Yes, there are plenty that do an excellent job of hiding their unhappiness and there are couples that seem unhappy in front of everyone when in reality they are quite happy. However, there is an overwhelming truth that you can tell how healthy a relationship is by how attentive they are to each other. This is not some type of constant need to be around each other all the time or conversely absent from each other. It is the time they are together that matters.
My wife has dealt with me (and yes, I mean that in the most humbling way) for over 27 years. We are not the same couple we were when we first married. We fight a bit more than we used to and do more eye rolling than before. But we love each other, and we willingly sacrifice our time, efforts, finances, and anything else necessary for the sake of the other’s happiness. Despite how she asks me twenty questions every day that I would prefer not to answer, I find no greater joy in this world than to be her ‘hubby,’ and I am proud to have her as my ‘wifey.’ Sharing this is not to discourage those either single or struggling through marriage. Instead, it is to say that I have had the challenges of those too, and God has a plan for you because even before I truly knew who He was, He put her in my life. And there is no greater representation of the values of Christ in my life than the woman I married.
Submittance to God is an acknowledgment that we live for something more than ourselves. This will sound like a continuance of what I wrote last week because I quoted from Ephesians 5. However, while last week talked about what you are filled with, today focuses on what comes out. As I spoke of how my wife and I serve each other simply out of love, our relationship with God should resemble a similar type of servitude. Thus, we think of Jesus in all we do, and as such, there are things that we will do or withdraw from simply because we are filled with His spirit. We act not because it is some exhaustive exercise like cleaning a garage. It is more toward having a spirit of giving. John 2:17 says, “So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” Most would interpret it as good deeds done are evidence of our faith. That is not entirely accurate. The goal is not for us to act just to please God although it is a good starting point if you have not done so before. The goal is for your heart to be so connected and filled with Christ that doing deeds does not really feel like work. It is almost like a need to satisfy. Making your spouse happy is not a chore. You almost feel incomplete if you are unable to. In similar fashion, our actions toward serving God are not to satisfy Him. It reflects our love for Him and brings joy to our hearts. That is what reverence for Christ is like.
Serving God should be fun. No, this is not to be confused with easy or without challenge. There are times we will not understand why God is putting us through trials or why we are in a desolate place for a moment in time. However, just as I know Loretta will always look to me with a belief that somehow, we will make a way, God is always with us to ensure we will get through those time. And when we do, we will celebrate and give thanks for all He has done. So, let us remove any conditions to our giving our lives to Him. Love Jesus Christ unconditionally as He has loved us. What barriers do you have to giving more to God? Where can you open up more to be closer to Him? My prayer is our relationship with God can be as rich and full as my wifey and her hubby’s is. Amen.