DAY 6

MUTUAL SUBMISSION IN MARRIAGE

Main text: Eph.5:21-24.

Memory:

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (Eph. 5:22)

The scriptures make it absolutely clear that wives must submit to their husbands for the home to succeed. In submission lies the power of a woman in the home, because it is when you are submissive and not competing in authority with your husband that you bring out the best in him that will make your home to experience peace. Contemporary experiences have also shown that the nature of man demands that the woman submits to his headship as her husband if she wants to keep her home.

Whatever may be the position of the woman at her place of work, she must recognize and feel comfortable with the place of her husband as the head of the home. When a woman is not ready to submit to the headship of the husband in the home, it brings about a lot of challenges.

A close study of other relevant scriptures such as Eph.5:23-24 and 1Pet.3:1 also make the headship of the husband at home never to be in doubt as the wife is asked to be in subjection to her husband.

As we emphasize the issue of submission for women at home, we should also point to husbands what is written in Eph.5:21;

‘Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God’

This verse makes us to realize that we must all submit ourselves to each other in the fear of God. In other words, as children of God, all of us must learn to submit to each other.

I have therefore realized from the above verse and from experience that for a healthy relationship in the home, submission should be mutual. A close look at I Corinthians 13, reveals the best description of the characteristics of pure love.

Love suffers long and is kind;… love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;…bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.(1Cor.13:4-7)

In other words, despite the submission of a virtuous wife, a husband who loves his wife does not parade himself as the commander-in-chief of the home, he is not puffed up and he does not seek his own. Consequently, he respects the view of his wife and often have to take the advice of his wife which in other words may be looked at as another form of submission.

Submission in the home should therefore be mutual if you desire to have a successful marriage just as love should be mutual.

Discussion Points With Your Spouse

• As the wife, do you find it difficult to submit to your husband as the head of the home? If no, why?

• As the husband, is it a problem for you to accept the position of your wife if she proposes better idea on some issues in the home? If no why?

PRAYER

My father and God, I pray that the wisdom to mutually submit to each other you will release to us in Jesus’ name.

QUOTABLE QUOTE

IN MUTUAL SUBMISSION, THE WIFE SUBMITS TO THE HUSBAND AS THE HEAD OF THE HOME WHILE THE HUSBAND RESPECTS THE VIEWS OF THE WIFE. – Dr. Mike Oluniyi.

DAY 5

CELEBRATING YOUR SPOUSE: THE CHALLENGE OF MUTUAL LOVE

Text: Jn.15:11-14.

Memory:

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

(Jn.15:12)

Something must keep attracting you to your spouse for your marriage to succeed. For any home to stand, there is need to remember the beginnings of your relationship and keep working on your love for each other over and over again. Think about what you have been able to achieve together; think about your children; think about those qualities that God has endowed his or her life with.

Any man can fall in love, but it takes real men to sustain love.

Times will come in the lifetime of your relationship, when you will see more beautiful, handsome, intelligent, sexy, rich and probably even more ‘God-fearing’ people than the one you have married. At such times, it must be a matter of the head and not a matter of the heart for you to sustain your marriage. No matter how you feel for that other person, your spouse whom you have committed yourself to, ranks first in your life. You must understand that commitment is greater than feelings. You must identify traits in your spouse that will make you to sustain your love for him/ her. Your spouse must also do likewise, so it must be mutual for the love to be sustained.

One of the things I appreciate most in my wife is her attention to details. I keep thanking God every time for her because I don’t know what my life, business and ministry would have been without her. Details that I have long forgotten whether financial or in other areas of life are at her fingertips. She is a good complement to my own kind of personality who does not really pay attention to details. There is definitely an area where your spouse complements you. When you remember those unique qualities that God has endowed your spouse with, you cannot but keep falling in love with each other over and over again.

If you want to sustain your love, one habit that you must run away from is that of comparing your spouse with another person’s spouse somewhere. It may be true that there are certain areas where that other person’s spouse is better at but it is also very likely that there are certain things that your spouse can do better than your object of comparison.

Celebrate your spouse!

Discussion Points With Your Spouse

• Can you still remember what attracted you to your spouse that made you to propose or say ‘yes’ when you met? Do you still value it in your spouse?

• What are the unique qualities you have discovered in him/ her after marriage?

• Imagine being given the opportunity to live your life all over again, will you still marry your spouse?

Prayer Point

My father and my God, open my eyes more to those unique qualities which you have embedded in my spouse in Jesus’ name.

QUOTABLE QUOTE.

ANY MAN CAN EASILY FALL IN LOVE, BUT IT TAKES A RESPONSIBLE MAN TO SUSTAIN LOVE.