God’s Blueprint for Your Home a 6-Day Devotion by Sue AfutuSample

A Wife’s Submission

Submission is hard! Nobody said it wasn't. I remember about four years after I got married, I needed a car to replace the one I was using. My husband found one for sale. It was brand new but small in size. Unfortunately, I don't particularly like small cars. I preferred a bigger car. Rather than rant and whine (which was what I truly wanted to do), I decided to pray about it. Long story short, the owners changed their minds about selling the car and we had to look elsewhere. In the end, he found one that I absolutely loved.

A wife's submission to her husband is not one of the most popular topics today among women and that even includes some Christian women. In today's devotional, we will explore what Biblical submission is and what it is not.

Submission means yielding to the will of another person. The Greek word for this is hupotasso which means to be subordinate to or yield to another. When we look through the Bible, we see examples of women who submitted to their husbands and those who did not. For instance, we can compare Esther’s submission to King Xerxes with that of Vashti and note the consequences of both attitudes (Esther 1:10-12, 4:11)

God expects that as wives, we submit to our own husbands. This verse teaches us three major things.

Firstly, we have to submit because we freely decide on whom to marry.

Secondly, this is not a general requirement of submission to every man a woman meets as some would like to think. Rather it is specific; from a wife to her husband.

Thirdly, the reason for this requirement is also given. We submit because it is fitting to the Lord. What this means is that, it is proper for a Christian wife to submit to her husband. Ephesians 5:22 says, a wife must submit to her husband as to the Lord. This means that a wife's submission to her husband is an act of worship to God. ‬‬‬‬

Through submission, a woman can win her man over to the Lord. In addition, it is an inward posture that outwardly adorns a lady. Simply put, it is beautiful and alluring. Nevertheless, it is not for the faint-hearted. On the contrary, it takes a lot of inner fortitude for a wife to submit. However, it is very much worth it (1 Peter 3: 1 – 6).

Reflection:

In what ways can you show greater submission to your husband?

Prayer:

Lord, I receive your grace to be more submissive in my marriage in Jesus name.