DEVOTION - Day 13

Ephesians 5:24 (New International Version)

24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Today we’re looking at a verse that has been grossly misinterpreted over the years…mostly by men. And, you may be asking yourself right now what this has to do with you since you’re only in high school. Well, I thought I would tackle this from the other side of this sentence – the one that has to do with the church submitting to Christ. And maybe by the end you will have a perspective on how this translates to the marriage relationship.

So, we see here first that the “church submits to Christ.” What does this mean? Merriam-Webster tells us that submitting means to “yield authority to” someone. So ultimately when a church submits to Christ it understands that whatever happens in that church is because of Christ and His will for them. In other words, they may have to put aside what they may think is the best or right action at the time for the direction and will of God, understanding that He has a perspective that is bigger than theirs.

Now, if we stopped there, this presumption could be quite scary given both the church/Christ relationship as well as the husband/wife relationship. However, we know something that this Scripture doesn’t explicitly tell us – that Christ loves the church. So, submission to His will becomes easier because we know whatever He does is done with love as the primary focus.

Submission then really boils down to an issue of trust. I have always said that the way to build trust is to be vulnerable. If others see you as you really are, then they will begin to trust you because they know you and your character. The same holds true with Christ. We know His character is one of love. His actions are based on His love for us, so we can trust that our submission, as an act of obedience, will be blessed. In a marriage relationship, the same can be true – that a husband who truly loves his wife will not take advantage of her submission, but will honor it and do what is in her best interest.

For me, I struggle with submission to Christ because I want to be in control and know the end result without going through the journey. Although he has blessed me beyond what I deserve and has never disproved my trust, I still find myself hesitating on giving Him my complete trust. However, as I continue to grow in my faith and He continues to show me His faithfulness, I find it easier to submit to Him and His will for me.

So, today pray that God will show you where you have not completely submitted to Christ in your life. Ask that he forgives you for these times and gives you the resolve to want His will for your life more than your own. Pray that your submission to Him will be complete and full so that you can experience His amazing love in your life.