Submission

I was listening to a presentation on woman ordination by Jennifer Arruda and she got me thinking and I've been blessed and chastined.Especially when she started talking about God's order of the family:the man as the head and the wife submissive.And the sad thing is,marriage is NOT after God's order these days.We've got wives who call for 50/50,who talk anyhow to their husbands and this is one thing I pray I never do to my husband.Can't imagine raising my voice to him-but I'm not there yet;but I know God will help me.

There's something sad about watching a wife speak anyhow to the husband.It's really demeaning and I pray that as women we may accept that men have been called by God to lead and we are t be submissive to them.We are not to raise our voices to them.But this is my thought:if we aren't submissive to God first,our brothers and our fathers and all male leadership in our lives,how will we respect our husbands?

I know of a wife who calls the husband by name.It might seem like a little thing,but now the kids grow up knowing the name of their father-personally I find this faulty.Xhosa women often refer to their husband as "taka..."...calling them as the father of their children.We need that back.Submission doesn't mean slave or inferior,but it's God's order.Hope these 2 quotes will do justice to the point  I'm trying to bring home.

"Acceptance of the divinely ordered hierarchy means acceptance of authority-first of all,God's authority and then those lesser authorities which He has ordained.A husband and a wife are both under God,but their positions are not the sane.A wife is to submit herself to the husband.The husband's rank is given to him by God,as the angels and animals rank are assigned,not chosen or earned.The mature man acknowledges that he did not earn or deserve his place by superior intelligence,virtue,strength,or amiability.The mature woman acknowledges that submission is the will of God for her,and obedience to this will is no more a sign of weakness in her than it was in the Son of Man when He said,"Lo,I come-to do Thy will,O God."~Elisabeth Elliot

"It is the woman's delighted yielding to the man's leading that gives him freedom.It is the man's willingness to take the lead that gives her freedom.Acceptance of their respective position frees them whirls them into joy"~Elisabeth Elliot

And every command is for our own good and joy!

Points to ponder...

Been reading the book of Joshua and thus far I’ve learnt:

-God’s promises are true and they will come to fulfilment
-Disobedience to God’s word always has serious repercussions
-Males and females have different roles and offices: in the Old Testament only males became priests, only men went to battle etc.

Now I ask: If females went to battle, what would happen to the children?

COMPARE:
Titus 2:3-5King James Version (KJV)

3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Timothy 3:1-2King James Version (KJV)

3 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
Timothy 3:12King James Version (KJV)
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
 

What kind of home life would you like to have?

When I thought of marriage,I used to see myself living in a big home with a pond :),with fish tanks etc.But then I'd get stuck when it came to children.They'd be there for the sake of  being "fruitful and multiplying".But what a solemn responsibility lies in the home.So many of us think of the home life as leisure where God is not central but we have a wrong idea.

Some ladies want children because children are lovely.And yes they are;but with children comes a responsibility.In fact,the home is a training school for developing a Christian character and preparing the children for serving God here on earth and to be prepared to meet the Lord.

"The educational influences of the home are a decided power for good or for evil.They are in many respects silent and gradual,but if exerted on the right side,they may become a far-reaching power for truth and righteousness.If the child is not instructed aright here,Satan will educate him through his agencies or his choosing.How important,then,is the school home."~Child Guidance,p.17.


From the above statement,we can conclude that not only should  the home be a place of love and safety for children but they are to be instructed to develop Christ-like characters.So ,marriage  life and parenthood is a solemn duty,which should not be lighlty guarded.If a couple decides to have children,they are placing the blood of their children on themselves.With that said,I cannot help but wonder:If we cannot obey God,how do we expect to teach our children to obey Him?

"Home education is not by any means to be neglected.Those who neglect it neglect a religious duty."p18.The home is a place that prepares individuals who will go out into the society and exert an influence-whether good or evil.Shouldn't we,who have a desire to build homes,carefully consider this matter?

"The father and mother shall be the first teachers of their children.Parents should not lightly regard the work of training their children,nor neglect upon any account."p23

May our thoughts concerning marriage and parenthood not be of roses and picnics and family potrait pictures,but of God's ideal.We are to realise that children are "God's property bought with a price" and they are to be taught in the way of the Lord.I wish I can express it more deeply,but it's not for those who are not yielded to God.But it's for those who are willing to be molded by God.

#AS I LEARN

INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN FROM THE BIBLE

Elisabeth:The wife of Zaccharias anf the mother of John

PART 1:

⁵ In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. ⁶ Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.~Luke 1:5-6

From the above passage,we get an idea of what marriage should be and the state of those entering into the marriage relation.Both individuals should be holy and both individuals should have good standing BEFORE God;not in the records of the church.

Further on,I am certain that Elisabeth was holy or pursued holiness even before entering the marriage relation.Manier times,when we think of marriage we have these ideals that are not even a priority.Marriage is God's institution for the salvation of mankind and you do not prepare for marriage when you enter it,but before you enter it.

It is crucial to think about the kind of homes we would like to have and work on becoming the individuals we want to be (holy,home-maker,helper,missionary etc) now.So,instead of daydreaming,the main aim we should have:is to have homes that are a reflection of the heavenly home.

Thus,we should practise holiness daily!

PART 2

⁷ But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

What I've gathered about Elisabeth is that:her obedience to God was not determined by the circumstance she was in.Even though she was childless she still continued to live a life that is pleasing to God.

Question:Is your obedience to God determined by what you have/do not have?Do you obey God more readily when everything is going according to plan?Is your devotion to God based on how you feel?

What determines your obedience to God?Is it love for him?

LESSONS GOD IS TEACHING,PART 4:

Lessons from Adventist Home,Chapter 40:

-The role of the mother is the most crucial role above every other role that a wife can fill and God writes the name of the faithful mother in the book of life God has called wives to take care of the home and this is pleasing to God (Titus 2:5; 1Timothy 5:14)
-Mothers are to regard teaching and instructing their children as a missionary field because the souls of their children(child) are of importance in God's sight.
-It is the devil's studied plan and it is a deception to think that as a mother you should have a career because motherhood is a career on its own.

So,all in all,I've learnt that motherhood is not an inferior role .The good of the society depends on the teachings of mothers

It's also important to note that being a mother doesn't mean one does not have to study or pursue a career,because they will have to be teachers to their children-so it's better when the mother is knowledgable so that she can give her children the best education.

My own thoughts:

Jesus and John were homeschooled and they turned out very well.Moses also comes to mind-because of his mother's teachings,he fulfilled his life purpose.

I now realize that marriage isn't child's play.It is the medium to save souls.It is God's order that the man should take care if the family while the wife tends the kids and the home;but the father is not excused from taking care of the children.I now realize that I need to not only think of the marriage I'd like to have (if God has called me to it),but the future I'd like to give my child(ren).

I now realize one  one does not prepare for marriage during engagement but before one enters into a relationship.

As I learn and unlearn.How I pray that I may accept these teachings as they are! 

DEAR LADIES

I would advise you to seek divine intervention when considering a life-partner or if it is your earnest desire to be married one day.It is crucial to keep in mind that marriage is a holy institution and God is its author-so one needs to have a solid relationship with God before entering into it.It is also crucial to realize that marriage will affect this life and will,to a certain extent,determine whether you make to heaven or not and will determine your faithfulness towards God.

So, do not enter into marriage for the sake of running away from singlehood or because you are scared of being alone for the rest of your life.

I've seen how hurtful and burdensome it is to be married to someone who is not entirely submitted to God.If you are in a relationship:I advise you to put your emotions aside and really consider whether the person you are with will lead your heavenward,in words and deeds and whether they would  lighten the burdens of this world.It is also crucial to consider whether he is supportive and  his priority is your salvation.

The sad truth is:it is not enough  for him to be a churchgoer or of the same faith;but he has to be surrendered to God's will and so should you.I have also come to realize that marriage needs two individuals who are constantly yielding to Christ and are trying with God's grace to live according to all His principles.

I've seen how my mom had to struggle alone,raising us up to be Christians,putting us through school and working hard to put food on the table.I've seen how she's never had someone to cry to and to support her,even though she is married.But praise be to God for keeping her sane and calm.

Believe me:you don't want to be in a marriage where you have to bear every burden.Not only that but you also have to consider how the marriage relation will affect your children.We should consider whether the person will take his role as a priest and as a father seriously.Will he help you in raising  children who are fit for heavenly citizenship and children who will consider God in all things and be soul winners?

Marriage not only affects you but your children as well.And if you choose one who God has not intended for you,how will yiu be a good mother to the children God has given you?Will he allow you to follow the principles that govern marriage?Is he acquainted with his role as a father and a husband?Will he be faithful to God?Will he faithfully lead to heaven?

"Before giving her hand in marriage, every woman should inquire whether he with whom she is about to unite her destiny is worthy. What has been his past record? Is his life pure? Is the love which he expresses of a noble, elevated character, or is it a mere emotional fondness? Has he the traits of character that will make her happy? Can she find true peace and joy in his affection? Will she be allowed to preserve her individuality, or must her judgment and conscience be surrendered to the control of her husband? As a disciple of Christ, she is not her own; she has been bought with a price. Can she honor the Saviour’s claims as supreme? Will body and soul, thoughts and purposes, be preserved pure and holy? These questions have a vital bearing upon the well-being of every woman who enters the marriage relation.

Let the questions be raised, Will this union help me heavenward? will it increase my love for God? and will it enlarge my sphere of usefulness in this life? If these reflections present no drawback, then in the fear of God move forward."~Ellen G.White,Letters to young lovers,ch.10,p.23.