The scene was comical. I could imagine it being included on the I Love Lucy show. Instead of Ricky and Lucy, my husband, Steve, and I were to be the stars of this episode! I was perched on top of our front-loading washer, head and arms dangling off the back of the machine, desperately trying to reach the owner’s manual that had fallen down in back of the unit. Only one problem, my arms just weren’t long enough to make the rescue.
One peek behind the washer, and I realized that the manual wasn’t the only thing that had vibrated off the top of the machine. Towels and hangers stared back at me from their newly discovered hiding place. Time to get serious. How could I retrieve these items without dislocating an arm or putting a permanent crick in my neck?
Steve to the rescue! He had gone to the garage and reappeared with some make-shift tools that should aid us with our project. With a long wooden stake in one hand, I managed to push the towels and hangers over to the gap between the washer and dryer. While I slowly and carefully lifted each item, Steve was able to slide a broom down on top of each of them, and working as a team, we successfully removed the manual, each towel, and hanger. Neither one of us would have been able to complete the rescue alone.
Such a simple, comical scene, reminded me of the beauty of God’s design for marriage. Husband and wife working together as a team, to bring more honor and glory to God than they could as individuals. We’re given a beautiful picture of God’s gift of marriage in the first book of the Bible: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen. 2:24, KJV). The marriage relationship is to be an accurate representation of Christ’s relationship with the church.
Love is so much more than an emotion. The Apostle Paul outlines a pretty comprehensive list of the characteristics of love in 1 Corinthians 13: suffers long, is kind, doesn’t envy, doesn’t boast, isn’t proud, isn’t rude, doesn’t seek its own way, isn’t easily provoked, thinks no evil, rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes and endures all things, and never fails (4-8a). Now that is challenging!
If you take a look at the woman in Proverbs 31, it seems she has this ‘marriage thing’ down pat. In her book, Lies Women Believe, Nancy Leigh DeMoss communicates an amazing discovery about this woman, “One of the things that strikes me most about the ‘virtuous woman’ of Proverbs 31 is the fact that she is so utterly selfless. She is not seeking ‘self-fulfillment’; she isn’t interested in advancing ‘her career,’ having her own bank account, or being known for her personal accomplishments. To the contrary, she seems virtually unconcerned about her own interests and needs, choosing instead to focus on how she can meet the practical needs of her husband and children, as well as others in her community” (p. 144). Sounds like the kind of wife I want to be! And what an accurate representation of Christ’s relationship with the church. Through the power of His Holy Spirit, we’re able to live out this kind of love in our marriage relationship.
The word ‘submission’ has gotten a bad rap in our day, but we’re told to submit ourselves “one to another in the fear of God” (Eph. 5:21). My American Heritage Dictionary defines the word,’ submit’, as follows: “To yield or surrender (oneself) to the will or authority of another.” As wives, we’re privileged to submit ourselves to our husbands, as unto the Lord (Eph. 5:22). In reality, husbands have the more difficult task: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Eph. 5:25). DeMoss debunks one of the enemy’s lies, “Satan has done a masterful job of convincing women that submission is a narrow, negative, and confining concept. He has taken a beautiful, holy, and powerful Truth and made it look ugly, frightening, and undesirable” (p. 146).
The truth is, when we submit to Christ and our mate, we position ourselves under our Lord’s protection and blessing. When both husband and wife are seeking God’s will and devoted to the needs of the other, they’ll be able to accomplish much for His honor and glory. Marriage requires teamwork. When we allow God to be the coach of our husband/wife team, we have everything we need to succeed!
One peek behind the washer, and I realized that the manual wasn’t the only thing that had vibrated off the top of the machine. Towels and hangers stared back at me from their newly discovered hiding place. Time to get serious. How could I retrieve these items without dislocating an arm or putting a permanent crick in my neck?
Steve to the rescue! He had gone to the garage and reappeared with some make-shift tools that should aid us with our project. With a long wooden stake in one hand, I managed to push the towels and hangers over to the gap between the washer and dryer. While I slowly and carefully lifted each item, Steve was able to slide a broom down on top of each of them, and working as a team, we successfully removed the manual, each towel, and hanger. Neither one of us would have been able to complete the rescue alone.
Such a simple, comical scene, reminded me of the beauty of God’s design for marriage. Husband and wife working together as a team, to bring more honor and glory to God than they could as individuals. We’re given a beautiful picture of God’s gift of marriage in the first book of the Bible: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen. 2:24, KJV). The marriage relationship is to be an accurate representation of Christ’s relationship with the church.
Love is so much more than an emotion. The Apostle Paul outlines a pretty comprehensive list of the characteristics of love in 1 Corinthians 13: suffers long, is kind, doesn’t envy, doesn’t boast, isn’t proud, isn’t rude, doesn’t seek its own way, isn’t easily provoked, thinks no evil, rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes and endures all things, and never fails (4-8a). Now that is challenging!
If you take a look at the woman in Proverbs 31, it seems she has this ‘marriage thing’ down pat. In her book, Lies Women Believe, Nancy Leigh DeMoss communicates an amazing discovery about this woman, “One of the things that strikes me most about the ‘virtuous woman’ of Proverbs 31 is the fact that she is so utterly selfless. She is not seeking ‘self-fulfillment’; she isn’t interested in advancing ‘her career,’ having her own bank account, or being known for her personal accomplishments. To the contrary, she seems virtually unconcerned about her own interests and needs, choosing instead to focus on how she can meet the practical needs of her husband and children, as well as others in her community” (p. 144). Sounds like the kind of wife I want to be! And what an accurate representation of Christ’s relationship with the church. Through the power of His Holy Spirit, we’re able to live out this kind of love in our marriage relationship.
The word ‘submission’ has gotten a bad rap in our day, but we’re told to submit ourselves “one to another in the fear of God” (Eph. 5:21). My American Heritage Dictionary defines the word,’ submit’, as follows: “To yield or surrender (oneself) to the will or authority of another.” As wives, we’re privileged to submit ourselves to our husbands, as unto the Lord (Eph. 5:22). In reality, husbands have the more difficult task: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Eph. 5:25). DeMoss debunks one of the enemy’s lies, “Satan has done a masterful job of convincing women that submission is a narrow, negative, and confining concept. He has taken a beautiful, holy, and powerful Truth and made it look ugly, frightening, and undesirable” (p. 146).
The truth is, when we submit to Christ and our mate, we position ourselves under our Lord’s protection and blessing. When both husband and wife are seeking God’s will and devoted to the needs of the other, they’ll be able to accomplish much for His honor and glory. Marriage requires teamwork. When we allow God to be the coach of our husband/wife team, we have everything we need to succeed!
Looks like I need a copy of Lies Women Believe
ReplyDeleteWhat a blessing, today is our wedding anniversary! Thanks for sharing your 'Lucy and Ricky' story, too:) We have a few of those...
ReplyDeleteI love how positive your posts are. The Proverbs woman is about the least selfish wife around, huh? Thanks for this!
ReplyDeleteMy puppy got stuck behind the washer once. She came out a giant dustball. Mom and I were glad she figured it out on her own because neither of us could reach her! I'm glad your husband was there to help you! This was a great example of teamwork. I can't speak on marriage because I'm not married, but I really enjoyed this post!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Maria. What a blessing when God places us in teams to accomplish that which would be so much harder alone.
ReplyDeleteI can just imagine this scene with the washer. Too funny! Life is definitely about teamwork!
ReplyDeleteLove the post today. Thank you for the encouragement. I used to struggle with Proverb 31 and feel threatened by it, but once I got the idea that behind every great man there is a great woman I loved it. Read you soon. Thank you also for popping by on my blog.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post, Maria. I love this look at submission. My husband and I are an amazing team. We definitey live life better as one - together.
ReplyDeleteAmen! We need more people in this life who's eyes have been opened to the blessings God meant mankind to enjoy; those who don't understand are the ones missing out...guess we need to pray for them! No greater joy than following HIS will!
ReplyDelete