Submission

Right now I'm in Nashville...breathing. Gosh, I hit the ground runnin up here! Friday night was big, Saturday night was mellow, and tonight is straight-up chill...winding down from the weekend's festivities. This morning I got to go back to my home church of Brentwood Baptist. Man, have I missed that place! Mike, the Senior Pastor was not preaching, but the young adult minister did an amazing job voicing the Word of God.
This morning's sermon was over Colossians 3:18-24, in which Paul instructs the church of Colossia to honor each other. "Wives submit to your husbands...slaves submit to your masters.." -that whole spill.
"Wives submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord." Colossians 3:18.
This point is to be made in the same manner as the church submitting to Christ (the bridegroom), and not just physically or emotionally 'longing.' After the first sin, women were punished, more-or-less in that they were made to want to lead, but God says this is best if the man leads. Now, he went into more detail as to why exactly this was so important to His plan...but honestly, I believe that sometimes it's like I can hear God's people asking "Why?" and Him, being the 'Parent' that He is to us, just says...."Because I said so!"
Throughout this entire sermon I just felt so spiritually challenged and convicted. Living in Nashville, I was around singles, some my age, some older, some couples living together...and I guess I just got in the mind-set that I had been single for so long that maybe God didn't want me to get married. Maybe I wasn't cut-out for that. After this sermon....
I believe God has put this longing for a life-long, lasting relationship in my heart for so long for a reason...and I don't believe that reason was to torture me. How dare I expect anything less than the best my Savior has planned. Who am I to put restrictions on what He can do. I mean, really. Who am I to say that God even has a specific plan for me. Nope...His plan is carried out. It's my choice whether I want to be apart of it or not. I want to be apart of a Christ-like marriage relationship. One day. This pleases God.
Now...men are also to submit to their wives and not become impatient. How would you like it if your Lord and Savior, who gave up His life for you, snapped and raised His voice at you? Just something to think about...
We are to love, honor, respect and take care of each other. Always.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." -Colossians 3:23-24. Basically, Paul is saying not to do these commands as working for a President we don't agree with, or a boss we hate, or parents we think we know more than...but to do them as if Christ is right there watching us. Because He is.