*fewer people choosing marriage
*the definition of marriage being
*divorce rates
*living together instead of marrying
*blended families
*delaying marriage/family
*role reversal within the marriage
*the expectations of society for the family to follow
*the return of the daughters (what a concept!)
*how Christian families look so much like the world
It's not hard to hear about some of these things....they turn up in the media all the time. It seems to me that Satan has been working over-time to destroy the family. And I do believe that family was one of God's best ideas ever.
I had no idea about how it all worked when we got married. I did understand the man/woman part. I wanted to have children (just not then). I knew we would live in a home. That was about my understanding of it all. Needless to say, there was no scripture in my head about any of it. My expectations of marriage/family/homelife came straight from society and a handful of good Christian examples that I knew, including my parents.
Never did I think that our family could be different. Never did I question the course before us. It really makes me wonder about families such as the Harris family. They started homeschooling back in the early 80's as a part of a greater vision they had for their family. How did it ever occur to them to have a different vision? What made them think they could do things so differently? And better yet, why did that not occur to me?
Slowly, slowly God has shown me some things I needed to know. I now understand about His protection offered through the family. I now understand about submitting to my husband as to the Lord. These are basics, folks--but I only understood them within the last few years. How sad. But how glad I am that I do understand them now!
So the revisions to our family continue. I am pondering a lot of things right now about the family. I'll be sharing some of those things in the days to come. It's a pretty big topic.
This is indeed a pretty big topic and a look forward to hearing your further thoughts. As you know, it was only a few short years ago that I, myself began to get a clue as to what this is really all about.
ReplyDeleteA HUGE topic! I'm still figuring it all out, daily. Can't wait to read your thoughts on everything!
ReplyDeleteThe verse you referenced about submitting to your husband AS unto the Lord, is actually an incorrect translation. In the Greek, the verse reads, AFTER the Lord. This is a fundamental distinction: for a woman or any person to submit to any human being AS unto the Lord, is idolatry. When Sapphira “submitted” to Annanias and lied to the Holy Spirit, she was not spared judgment. She and her husband were punished equally for their sin. Now, if God expected women to submit to their husbands NO MATTER what, as if the husband was Jesus Himself, then wives should not suffer such consequences. Men and women alike must submit to the Lord first, then their governments, church leaders, and respective spouses. If the husband commands his wife to do something sinful, ungodly, or harmful, she MUST not submit in order to obey her higher calling to living out God’s will. That verse is used all the time by domineering husbands to justify any demand or abuse heaped upon their wives. The church should take an active step into publicly correcting this understanding of this crucial verse.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your concerns, Anonymous, but I believe you misunderstand. I am not at all suggesting that my husband is equal with God. I also don't think that Sapphira was submitting to her husband. I believe she acted out of the evil in her own heart. They sold the property together and he did everything with his wife's full knowledge. The scripture does not indicate that her husband told or asked her to lie. They did this thing together. And yes, I should submit to the Lord first and I am also commanded to submit to my husband in the same way--as I submit to the Lord--which is fully, willingly, lovingly...my submission to my husband is not in his power as a human or his power over me, but his posistion given him by the Lord.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that a wife must not do something sinful just because her husband tells her to. I think of Peter should I obey God or men? If I had to choose, God would win. If my husband is submitted to the Lord, I should not have to choose.