Day 14 – You’ve Made It!
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (Gen 2:24)
The Lord says that the man will leave his parents and cleave to his wife. Noah Webster definse cleave as:
To unite or be united closely in interest or affection; to adhere with strong attachment.
The man and woman adhere to each other with strong attachment – to the point that they become one flesh. No longer are they separate entities – they are now one, complete in each other. What he lacks, she possesses and what she lacks, he possesses. What a wonderful picture of marriage!
You are no longer your own. Your decisions in life no longer affect you only but they affect another. There’s no need to run to your parents for day-to-day decisions because you now have your own spouse and your own household to look after. Your parents run their own household, it’s time for you to run yours with God’s guidance.
Heavenly marriages don’t just happen. They require much work from each person. It’s not a 50-50, give-and-take situation. It requires 100-100% from each person. The husband answers to Christ and the husband is the head of the wife.
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)
We all have to be accountable to someone. In today’s “women’s lib” mind set, this is not a popular concept. Organizations have a President and Vice President. This keeps the operation running smoothly. When there is a conflict between the two and a decision is needed, the President’s decision is final. It is not different in the Biblical home. The husband wants a Toyota and the wife wants a Ford. Compromise is good but when there is no compromise, the Word says the husband is the head of the home and his decision is final. What does the wife do if his Toyota dies after a year? Does she rub it in his face? Would the Vice President say, “I told you so!” to the President of an organization? Absolutely not. Neither should the wife.
Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. (1Pe 3:6)
The next few days will be spent covering the role of a godly wife. Let’s take a look at what the Word of God considers to be a godly wife. Proverbs 31 has a wonderful outline of the character of the wife. The first characteristic of this wife is that she is virtuous. Noah Webster defines virtuous to be:
Morally good; acting in conformity to the moral law; practicing the moral duties, and abstaining from vice; as a virtuous man.
We are no longer under the Law, this is true. However, as a born-again woman, are you practicing Christ’s teachings in the Word? Are you living a godly life? Are you morally good? Are you abstaining from sin? This woman is practicing and living out her faith. Are you?
Granted, no one is perfect and you won’t be until we reach Heaven. However, you can be striving toward perfection. The godly woman lives by faith – works at her faith – and walks in her faith.
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20)
Being the virtuous woman is an on-going process of putting into practice your faith in Jesus Christ and what He has taught you. When God’s Word tells you to do something, like submitting to your husband, then start practicing it. Don’t just read it and forget it. Put God’s Word into action by obeying it.
Dear God…
As I learn to be the wife
Your Word commands of me
Convict me where I’m weak
And help my eyes to see
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