By Divine Appointment Chpt. 12

But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. (I Cor. 11:3) As I read this chapter I was reminded of my journey of being a wife and getting into my head that I was accountable for me and my actions. I will not be accountable to God for the things that are my husband’s responsibilities, I will be accountable for my heart and my actions. That releases me from having to ‘fix’ my husband’s shortcomings. I need to be reminded every day that it is my heart I need to work on, not his. In fact this is something we tell our children all the time. When they come to us with a complaint about one of their siblings we ask them how their heart is. We proceed to tell them that all they can do is work on their heart, and that they cannot change someone else’s. They can pray for them, but they cannot change them. Another thing that struck me again about this chapter was the phrase she used when speaking about a woman’s role in the church she says, “It is not about being qualified, it is about being authorized.” I think so many times as women, just because we are capable of doing something, we usurp our husbands authority and go ahead and do things, in the church or wherever. This is not God's qualifications. His qualifications are very clear in the Bible. Read (I Cor. 14:34-35). Over the years I have come across many people who have criticized my role in submission to my husband. One comment has been, but if you submit, become a servant, honour ect, won’t you become a doormat, something your husband will take advantage of? I may have mentioned this in a previous post, but a great example to me of how this doesn't happen was last harvest season. I had determined in my heart that I was going to be a non complaining, willing help meet to my husband. I had imagined that I would be spending my whole fall in the field, I would get no canning done and I would basically be spending all my time helping him. And I was okay with that (although I still had to work on my attitude somedays). Well what actually happened was last fall was one that I got the most canning done ever and I probably spent less time in the field that I have had to previously. I saw God multiply my time at home and show me that He was in control. I believe that He honored my actions and let me tell you, I felt nothing like a doormat! I remember an analogy that I heard when I was younger. God is like an umbrella. He protects me like an umbrella protects me from the rain. But when I move outside God’s will and plan for my life, I move out from under the umbrella and open myself up to ‘get wet’! And I believe it is that way with our husbands as well, my position under my husband is where God put me for my own spiritual, emotional and physical safety. It is the only place I will find real fulfillment as a woman. pg 117 If I move out of that God given protection, I open myself up to things that God has not planned for me. As I reflected on these principles I asked myself two questions: 1.What would happen to the marriages in the church if women would truly, with all their heart submit to their husband. Would the disturbing divorce rate go down? 2. pg. 122 Is my marriage glorious? Is it an example in Heaven of how God wants Christ and the Church to be? “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and he is the saviour of the body.” (Eph. 5:23) It would be great to hear from you. What from this chapter challenged you?