…giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ
is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
Now as the church submits to Christ,
so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and
gave himself up for her,
that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
so that he might present the church to himself in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it,
just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and
hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.However, let each one of you love his wife as himself,
and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Ephesians 6:21-33
Learning to submit, love, respect and forgive each other
This week, the 21st, we celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary. I’m just grateful that GOD has been gracious to us despite our failures to “measure up” to these standards for marriage.
For my part, I have not submitted to my husband in the way the church is supposed to submit to Christ. Nor have we submitted to each other out of reverence for Christ. He hasn’t loved me as he should either…and on and on as you read through the chapter.
It is an indictment of my failures as a wife…but GOD has been merciful to us. He has joined us together as one in many areas, by His grace.
I thought that by the time I was married this long, I would have all the answers about marriage. Instead, I have less answers. I do realize the most important thing is learning to forgive…as Christ forgave us.
In the process, we have learned about the grace of GOD, forgiveness, perseverance, grief, sorrow, joy, love, humor. It has been wonderful, difficult, crazy, passionate, amazing…and on occasion even romantic! The journey has been a great one of learning and growing together. I can only hope for more years together…but if not, what we have had has been a wonderful gift!
Do we ever figure it out? Thankful for that grace that binds us together and affords forgiveness to each of us!
personally Marty, i don’t think we do figure it out. i don’t think i’m copping out to say that. if we figured it out, we would be more like robots than people wouldn’t we? relationships tend more to have to do with broken people who make mistakes…lots of them. i agree with your conclusion:)
Hi Martha! As I read through this portion of scripture I winced with conviction. Married 17 years, I haven’t gotten it right. I strive for it, know it as truth but fall short. Like you, I have learned the power of forgivenss and we are committed to trying. Anniversary blessings to you both. Thanks for this today!
Lisha,i think the best advice i can now give those who are marrying is not make good meals, have dinner on the table at 6 pm (yes, i was actaully given that advice:) or whatever specifics people are giving out. the best advice is to learn to forgive! lifelong process for sure!
btw, i thought of you this weekend when we were in chattanooga, TN. we went to the Hunter Museum of American Art there. They had a special visiting artist’s display. his name is Whitfield Lovell. he is from the bronx. it was quite interesting! the one i thought was the MOST interesting was The Beginning is the End i don’t know if you have ever seen it or if it is online…but it was very profound to me!
I love this…we’ve been married 37 years and I’m still learning too! I’m next to you at Deidra’s
thanks for coming by elizabeth:) i think the longer we are married, the more we realize it isn’t just a formula we follow, buta journey we are making together…with lots of mistakes along the way.