Surrender

by HJS

Laura Doyle's marriage was on the verge of collapse when she met a friend at a gym. She had been to a seminar that had helped changed her life. As they talked, Laura knew that if something didn't happen soon, her marriage was history.

The issue was control, two people both wanted to be boss. She wanted to control his life - where he went, what he wore, what he did and so forth.

Laura's husband didn't like it but neither was he ready to quit the marriage. What did happen is now the subject of Laura's book entitled The Surrendered Wife. She eventually allowed him to provide leadership, understanding that she didn't need to argue every point or tell him how to drive or where to park or what to wear.

Scores of women are afraid of losing equality in a marriage, afraid that if they don't stand their ground and argue every point, they won't get their share.

Paul gave two powerful dictums about marriage: a husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church and a wife is to submit to her husband's leadership while both of them submit (same word) to each other in love, being sensitive to the needs and circumstances of the other.

God says, "I want men to love and lead." And when we understand that the two verbs, love and lead, go together, we put the other first in the kind of relationship that gives each what he or she wants in far greater measure than ever happens when you are fighting over who is in control.

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord... Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.   EPHESIANS 5:22,25