Devotionals - Active Word - July 25, 2010

A double obedience

For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church… Ephesians 5:23 (NKJV)

Yesterday we saw the Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, present God's divine action plan for wives. That action plan is to willingly submit themselves under the authority of their husbands.

Being a master teacher, Paul would often follow up a straightforward exhortation like this with an illustration to help make his point stick in the minds of his audience. He does so here by linking the call for wives to submit to their husbands with our call, as Christians, to submit to Christ.

It's a powerful parallel because it touches on this truth: Just as Jesus is the head, or leader of the Church, so too the husband is the head of the marriage union. Why does the husband get to be the head? Why is he the leader? Because that's the way God wanted it. He could have created woman first, but He didn't. In His sovereign providence, God created the man first.

Man led the way in creation and God ordained that he should also be the leader in life. That's not man striving for supremacy over the woman. And it's not some sort of power struggle where man came out on top. That's just the way the Lord determined it to be…man is to be the head, the leader. And where there is a leader there must also be a follower.

Just as Jesus is the leader that we follow, the husband is to be the leader that the wife is to follow. Think through what an incredible statement that is. God compares a Christian following Christ, to a wife following her husband. The Lord honors both forms of following, because both honor an order that's been established by Him.

A double obedience exists here for wives, for by following their husband's lead, they're also following after Christ.

Think about it…

What does this passage reveal to me about God? 
What does this passage reveal to me about myself? 
Based on this, what changes do I need to make? 
What is my prayer for today?

SPECIAL OFFER

New 365 Devotional Volume 2

God's mercy is new every day. That's because it's needed daily. So to help you walk through a fresh new day, the Active Word has put together this second volume of the 365 Devotional.  Our hope in creating this series of devotionals, is to help you connect with God's Word 365 days a year. And the best thing is, you can start any day of the year. Stay in step with God's Word, His will, and learn to live out your faith, daily.

 

Tweet

• 
• 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

Share with your friends