Saturday 7 Apr 2018

April 7: Ephesians 5:21-28

Key Verse: Ephesians 5:21
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Devotion:
The instructions for Christian households seem to be very different to what the world would have us believe and quite different to what is portrayed on our screens! We know this is not a ‘modern thing’ because we read about so many things going wrong in the bible and history books to know otherwise. We cannot blame others for things going wrong in our own lives – we can only look at what we are doing and ask whether this is what Christ wants in our lives.

I’m not going to harp on about this being something of two sides, the wives submitting to their husbands and the husbands lifting up their wives because the real meaning of this passage is plainly spoken in the first verse; the rest of it is a reminder of how we have a wonderful example to live toward in Christ. If we want to live a good life with others, then we have to do it with Christ in the equation – we should not be trying to do things because we think we can or because we have a duty to do stuff; we should be doing things righteously because we love God.

If we are able to take this great love we have for Christ and share it with our partners then we shall be able to know a much greater love for each other than just trying to do stuff by our own strengths. We may be strong, self-willed, successful, purposeful, whatever; if we leave Christ out of the equation then we will only be doing things for our own ego.

Christ willingly gave Himself up for the church, the whole church. He allowed Himself to face things we can only imagine. He did this all because of His love for us. But He did not do this to be a martyr or to show how good He was. He did this to make sure God was still in the equation. So much of the world He saw was leaving God out of life and He was turning that all around to bring God back into the middle of people’s lives. We need to be doing the same – living our lives to make sure God is brought into our partners, friends, neighbours and acquaintances lives!

Points to Ponder:
Do you try hard in your relationships?

Is God in every relationship you have?