Today's Passage - Ephesians 5:22-24

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Ephesians 5:22-24 "Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 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. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." Such a teaching is really a challenge to the weakness of men and women's sinful nature. By nature, men are ready to submit by taking an action for each order. Therefore men are suitable to become soldiers. However, women are born with the tendency to ask "why". Therefore, in the Garden of Eden God said "but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." After hearing that, the man didn't eat from that tree, while the woman would wonder "how come the fruit is so pretty and tasty, but I am not allowed to eat it". After she ate it, she told the man to follow her. And the man obliged. Nevertheless, it is very difficult for men to be loyal, while it is natural for women to wholly love and be loyal to anything they treasure in their lives.     Therefore, as a challenge to men's weakness, God tells them to wholly love their wives as husbands. Likewise, as a challenge to women's weakness, God tells them to submit to their husbands. The submission mentioned here in the Bible is by no means unconditional. So it is applicable to any situation. The so-called submission in the Lord is actually out of reverence to the husband. Whenever I do marriage counseling, some sisters would always ask me "how can I change my husband". As wives, they are always eager to change their husbands, no wonder they are always nagging. In fact, nagging and complaining will never change a husband. What can really turn him around is your respect. What should you do to respect him then?     First, encourage him more. Many wives would ignore their husbands' good performances, but catch them in their mistakes and exaggerate "Look, you are hopeless!" Actually a husband always expects compliments from his wife, just like a wife who expects compliments from her husband. So always encourage. Second, don't compare him with others. Comparing is something that hurts a man the most. As a wife, your job is not to make a perfect husband. Rather, as a good helper, it is your job to acknowledge your husband's capability, not his incapability. So a wife must be aware of her husband's gift and talent, and encourage him to use them, so that he can become someone after God's heart. All the wives amongst us, are you willing to submit from now on?                                                                                   Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, bless each wife in your name. Put the spirit of submission inside them so they can step forward by faith. After they submit to their husbands because of you, you will bless them with more grace. We thank you and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!