Ephesians 5:21-33 - 25 Years!!!!

Instructions for Christian Households

21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

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.33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Woo hoo!  Twenty-five years of marriage!  As I look back on the last twenty-five years I am amazed at where the Lord has taken us.  I am amazed at how He has lead us.  But yet I shouldn't be amazed because when you live a live for Him every day is amazing.  I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt the reason we are where we are today is because our life as a married couple is based upon these verses found in Ephesians 5.  

"Submit" is a nasty word in some people's thinking but it sure isn't in ours.  It is through submission that true love is found.  It is only when we submit that we can allow the love Christ shows us to flow through to our mate.  

"Love" is another word that some struggle with.  We have to love as Christ loves us.  That means unconditionally.  That means with our whole heart.  It isn't always easy to love someone when we try to do it on our own but when we allow the Lord to work through us it becomes much easier.  I know I'm not the easiest person to live with, especially when I'm dealing with physical issues.  But I also know the Lord directs Doc to come me even in the crabby times.  Another key thing to "love" in a marriage is that we must do as verse twenty-eight tells us.  We must love ourselves.  That's a hard concept to grasp but if we don't love ourselves there is no way we can love others.  

"Respect" is the third word in this passage that many don't like.  If we don't show respect to our spouse, we miss out on blessings.  We are there to build them up, not tear them down.  In order to receive respect, we first must give respect.

So many things have happened in our lives over these last twenty-five years.  Many were trying.  Yet the Lord provided grace and love to get us through.  I'm excited for the next twenty-five years.  I wonder where He will direct our paths.  Wherever He does I know we will be on that path together.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the last twenty-five years and thank You for the next twenty-five years.  I praise You for my husband who loves me unconditionally.  I praise You for the way You guide our steps in life.  Thank You Father for being The One To Bless Me.  Amen.