THE BURDEN TO SUBMIT AND LOVE IN MARRIAGE
Eph. 5:22–33.
The above passage talks extensively and succinctly on how a wife and a husband should relate to one another; wives should submit, while husbands should love. Though these two responsibilities have been challenged with biased interpretations to favour one sex over another, after yesterday, I have seen a new dimension to his passage of scriptures.
Let me state firstly that marriage is a mutual responsibility of submission to one another by a couple.
What does it mean for a wife to submit to her husband as unto the Lord?
This means that a relationship of a wife to her husband should be like you and I regard Christ as the head of the church. It is a relationship of trust, faith, belief, confidence, and regard for Christ (or your husband). It means that before doing some things as a wife, you have to check if it will please your husband (just as you will do as a follower of Christ).
It does not mean bondage or slavery, never; it means giving him a place as your head, as your instructor, teacher, guide and leader. As we all love to do the will of God and please him and make Him happy and be totally sold out in obedience of faith, so a wife should behave towards her husband.
Submission as a wife to your husband is more of trust, faith and belief in Him all the way.
What does it mean for a husband to love his wife as Christ loved the church?
The place of love is an even far greater responsibility. Look at it this way, what God is and has been doing for the love of the church and mankind. He gave His only son for the sake of love, He provides for us, He protects us, He nourishes us, we are the beauty and splendour of His creation, He equips us to fulfil destiny, to be useful to our world and to be co-creators with Him. His desire for that love is to make us better every day.
I believe that explains what the role of a husband is; just place yourself in the place of God and how He has been dealing with His church in times past and in contemporary history. Your wife should be better because of you, you need to help her fulfil destiny, you need to be a guide, provider, and in fact, pay the ultimate price for her if you have to. Giving to her should not be an option but a duty.
Love is always proved by sacrifice and sacrifice only takes place when you have to give something out.
A man/husband needs to embody everything that love is about. You are to make your wife better and better, her vision should not be discarded because of yours rather it should also have meaning and substance. Her aspirations should not suffer because you feel you are the head; a head should nourish the entire body. When a head is correct, the whole body should not be any less.
In summary, a wife is submitting (trusting) her husband because he is able to love (provide, nourish, bless, equip) her. Therefore, the admonishing to submit as a wife is on the premise that your husband is worthy of your submission. You are submitting because you believe, trust and know that he can be to you what Christ is to the church. You are submitting because of the trust you have in his integrity to lead you, direct, guide you, provide for you and make all your godly desires come through. Moreover, as a man, you should build yourself up for your wife to submit to you with the hope that you will be a blessing and everything good to her. There are so many ways to keep explaining this but the burden of submission and love is more on the man. A woman is submitting to you as a man based on the trust they have in you just like them trusting Christ. It’s a huge responsibility.
I hope this piece achieve one thing and that is to simplify the roles of a wife and a husband. If you desire to get our posts directly to your inbox, then subscribe with us below.
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