"The Great Mystery"

It is "Womans Work Wednesday!"  I have hubby's work clothes in the washer and 2 additional piles of laundry awaiting their turn.  It is supposed to be sunny and mild, so I want to take advantage of the chance to hang things outside.  Church supper tonight, so I will be cooking up some homemade turkey soup - YUMMY!  Yesterday saw many accomplishments.  I got through my mending pile - 2 coats, 5 skirts, 2 ties, and a sweater ... Why do I wait so long?  At my brother's constant mention of homemade bagels, I attempted some on my own and they turned out very well (and were fun to make)!  Then I finished the taxes and e-filed last night - Until next January ...  Oh!  and I am learning a new position on the violin ... must keep plugging away.

Chapter 13 in Created to be His Helpmeet is entitled "The Great Mystery."

Ephesians 5:32-33

This is a great mystery:

but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular

so love his wife even as himself;

and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

This has been mentioned before, but my marriage relationship was designed to be a model of Christ's relationship to the church.  WOW!  How many people would want a relationship with Christ if they saw my home and marriage?  Is this why the church is not growing, why our soul-winning efforts are in vain?  Perhaps it is not just "our culture" but it is our disobedience to God and our poor example of His great love for us.  Am I obeying my husband?  Submitting to his desires?  Reverencing him by treating him with regard in ALL situations?

Ponder these quotes: "God entrusted to a man and his wife the opportunity, as a married couple, to be a living picure of this great mystery." (p. 127)  "A good marriage is good because one or both of them have learned to overlook the other's faults, to love the other as they are and to not attempt to change them or bring them to repentance." (p. 128)  "In today's churches, many women have failed to win their husbands because they have tried to be evangelists instead of wives." (p. 131)  "It is amazing how vulnerable a man is when a woman treats him with honor." (p. 133)

The commands in a marriage are very cyclical.  The husband is to love, the wife is to reverence and submit.  When my hubby shows me love, I can't help but submit and reverence.  When I show proper submission and reverence, he can't help but love.  A marriage can be transformed if one member decides to follow GOD"S PLAN for marriage.  Why not start with the person you see in the mirror?