24 Aug September 11 Daily Devotional

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHRISTIANS – WIVES

Colossians 3:18 “Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”

Some Bible verses are not well received in 2024.  Today’s is one of those.  Beginning in the last century with the women’s liberation movement resistance to the traditional Christian marriage vows increased greatly.  As a pastor, I can remember any number of times when planning a wedding service with an engaged couple, I was told by the woman, almost immediately after my opening prayer, “don’t you make me say that I will submit to my husband.”  To that I would open my Pastor’s Agenda and read the traditional vows.  First, I would read the husband’s:  “Will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony as God ordained it . . .and cherish her as Christ loved His body, the Church, giving Himself up for her? . . .”  To the woman, “will you have this man to be your wedded husband, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony as God ordained it?  Will you submit to him as the Church submits to Christ? . . .”

Never once did the man say to me, “I refuse to cherish my wife as Christ . . .gave up Himself (died) for her? . . .”  The key to the vows of both the man and the woman is “as God ordained it.”  The key words to Colossians 3:18 are “as is fitting in the Lord.”  Submitting is all about living your life as a Christian  First and foremost, you are subject, you are under Christ, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit.  For you to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)  In a Christian marriage, Christ is the head and both husband and wife submit to and are under Him in every way.

There was an order to God’s creation.  First, He created Adam from the dust of the ground.  Then, He created Eve from Adam’s rib. He said of them prior to their sinning, the two should be one.  After they sinned, this command remained and to it God said to Adam, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.  It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food.” (Genesis 3:17-19) To Eve He said “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16) The Christian husband and wife live under the umbrella of God’s love and draw their love for each other from Him.

Again, the key words for a Christian marriage are “as is fitting in the Lord.”

Prayer:  Lord, Your word is true.  Grant unto me through my faith in Jesus the determination and commitment to live my life in accord with Your word and will to Your glory and for my good.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

A HYMN PRAYER FOR A MARRIAGE

Lord, when You came as welcome guest To Cana’s wedding feast,

The bridal pair, divinely blest, Found all their joy increased.

Now give Your presence, from above That these, by vowing true,

May show their pledge is like the love Between the Church and You.

Preserve the vow these two shall make, This circle round their life,

This golden ring that none may break Which makes them husband, wife.

Your daily mercies let them share, All threats of harm destroy;

By this their vow divide their care And double all their joy.

On all who thus before You kneel Your joyous Spirit pour

That each may wake the other’s zeal To love You more and more.

O grant them here in peace to live, In purity and love,

And after this life to receive The crown of life above.

(LSB 859)