Wives, Submit

I have been experiencing a long season of introspection and communing with God.  It is time to return and report. 

I have been challenged to submit.   Not only have I been challenged to submit to the Lord, I have been challenged to submit to my husband.

Ephesians 5:22-24 (King James Version)

 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

 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.

 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Just how far, do you suppose, does He expect the wife to go on with this?  

A couple of months ago my husband was whining expressing his desire for work.  He feels worthless unless he is working: learning new things and/or performing a service for others. 

It always impresses me that he is not concerned about the "almighty dollar".   He simply wants to be growing and serving.  I hear that it is a trait shared by many men. 

One evening, my husband was whining talking to a friend at church about his need for a job that would give him more hours.  An opportunity to take a job as a couple, nearly 2,000 miles away, was suggested.   

Without the slightest hesitation I said, "YES!" 

When solicited, my husband said, "I'm married to her.  I go where she goes."

Much has happened since then.  After our hasty responses, we returned to our home and we both sought the Lord's guidance (repeatedly and often) in earnest private prayer. 

My husband went to the Lord with all of his fears and returned multiple times with the same answer. 

"You need to move in May."

I went to the Lord with all of my anticipation and returned multiple times with the same answer.

"Organize yourselves.  Prepare every needful thing."

So a date has been set and preparations are underway.   I am still unemployed.  My husband is still extremely under-employed (3 hours per week at Target). 

We will need approximately $3,000 to make the move.

I have set about reducing the size of our household and making some money by selling our excess on eBay and Amazon.  When I look at the total sum value of the items I am selling, the goal will not be met. 

But, I have faith in the Lord.  He did not tell me to make $3,000.  He told me to organize and prepare.  Each day I fight back the demons that taunt and tease me about the futility of my efforts.

My husband has faith in the Lord.  Fifteen years of coping with severely diminished short-term memory (post-stroke) has taught my husband one overarching fact.  Life is simplified by constancy and crazy-chaotic in change.   Change frightens him.  Each day he fights back the demons that taunt and torment him with fear of change and facing the unknown.

Two months later, the job is tentative.  A long shot, actually.

The move is definite.

When our friends ask us why are we moving we could logically explain the move. 

Our rent, alone, will be $600 less than what we pay now.  The overall cost of living is greatly reduced.  My unemployment checks will follow me there.  My husband's disability checks will follow him there.  Even if we do not have a job or cannot find a job, this income will cover our expenses.  There are jobs there for which we are skilled and few competitors within the tiny community.  In our post-stroke conditions, the slower pace will be a welcome change.   I will be closer to family including my grandchildren.

There are many logical reasons to move to Small Town, Mid-America.   

But, to be honest, none of them are The Reason.

When my husband prays, God answers.  It would be foolish to ignore the instruction provided.    

How many wives rely on, count on, or lean on their husband for spiritual leadership? 

I'm suggesting that we all do, to some degree or another.   I also suggest that we can always improve our behavior in that regard. 

It is important to remember that it is not up to our husbands to prove their selves in the leadership role.

It is a position given to husbands by God. 

God did not ask that they prove themselves worthy before He appointed them to it.  It is up to us, as wives, to honor and sustain them in that position.

 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Red Roof by Your Husband's Deepest Desire