Tuesday, December 9, 2008

God Had a Plan, Wives have to submit - Oh My!

I missed getting this posted as a submission on a weekly theme hosted by another blog... but I had written it, and decided that after all it fits with my own 'God Had a Plan' theme... so here it is:



Have you ever heard the statement, "Well, Paul just didn't like women?" It's a sort of excuse for not applying submission as an act of obedience to God. Of course, the idea that wives should submit to their husbands didn’t begin with Paul. Look back at Genesis and see – God had a plan, even before the fall of mankind.

As a non-Christian, my own life was pretty ragged and torn. I met a handsome young man who knew Jesus as Lord and Savior. He led me to know Him, too. We began dating, and before a year was up we had wed.

Before our wedding day, I had been learning all about submission, along with lots of other Christian virtues. I clearly remember thinking that as my husband he would be easy to submit to – after all, he was a good Christian man who loved the Lord. I really think Satan snickered about that one right after we said, “I do.”

That was a very long time ago, and although learning to submit was never easy, I can honestly say I am glad I made the hard choice to obey God. Even though it is still a choice I have to make daily and sometimes hourly, it is not nearly as difficult, and I am even thankful now for the very roles God has given us as a team.

Trusting the Lord is essential in obeying my husband. If I don’t believe that He is able to be God to my husband, then I have to lean on myself – whether through nagging or manipulation, or deceit, or even outright intimidation. No, that really is not who I want to be. I want to lean on Jesus, in this area of my life at least as much as in all other areas.

“Helper” wouldn’t have been my choice – why shouldn’t he be MY helper? Now days I almost gag at the thought! You see, I really am growing to be comfortable in my skin, and being a submissive wife is part of that.

Within the boundaries of submission, I find confidence in just being the person God is creating me to be, in the talents and gifts and roles He has given me even as I pursue knowing Him and trusting Him day by day. I fully extend my arms in praise and worship to the God who made me, designed me and suited me to a purpose.

If you would like to see the recurrent theme of submission throughout the bible, here are a few scriptures to get started with:

Genesis 2:18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."

Genesis 3:16 To the woman He said,
"I will greatly multiply
Your pain in childbirth,
In pain you will bring forth children;
Yet your desire will be for your husband,
And he will rule over you."

All of Numbers, chapter 30, speaks to the issue of authority – whether to a father or to a husband… because in Old Testament times, vows to God were binding – yet God clearly places submission to authority on a higher level than even vows to God, by saying that the vows of women are subject to father or husband. The chapter says that if her husband or father annuls her vow by forbidding her, God will forgive her. But the grave responsibility the man bears for this is shown in verse 15 - "But if he indeed annuls them after he has heard them, then he shall bear her guilt."

Truly, what a tremendous responsibility the man bears as head of household! The role of submission is not an easy one, but neither is his an easy role, and he is accountable for it before God. I find compassion in knowing that, and also a reminder of my own very necessary responsibility to pray for him.

So today, after more than 30 years of marriage, I am still learning to value my husband along with his roles and my roles, and to trust that our Savior, God and Friend always has a plan.

If you would like to read some stories on the theme of submission by other bloggers, I invite you to visit Patty Wysong at
Patterings, find Monday, Dec 8, and follow the trail from there...

Job 42:1-2 Then Job answered the LORD and said, "I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.

[ALL SCRIPTURES NASB]

2 comments:

Larie Carlice Proverbs 27:19 said...

Hi Ms. Sherri! Thanks a bunch for this post. Thank you for saying that the choice to obey God is hard. I've felt that way but dared not to say it aloud because I thought it was wrong. I say with my mouth that I want to be obedient, however, when it comes down to it...

Submission to my wonderful husband is my area of disobedience right now. You are so right about our husband's roles being a tremendous responsibility for them and my disobedience has not made it easy for him. But again, thank you and I hope to be contacting you real soon about my being obedient.

Patty Wysong said...

Hear! Hear! You put this so well, Sherri. I hadn't thought about the compassion factor, but it's so true!