Page 102 - Sarah's Children

interests in his actions and decisions?” “What if he makes a decision that is costly to
myself and the rest of the family?” “What if his guidance leads to hardship and
anguish and I have to suffer due to this?” “What if I am not given any forum to
exercise the gifts and talents God has placed in my life?” “What if my happiness is
threatened in submitting to his headship?” And even, “What will others think of me
for choosing to submit to authority when it is so out of vogue, and women who
submit to their husbands are looked at as weak and spineless?”

The Father knows our frames, that we are but dust. He knows we have tremendous
fears that come against us. He realizes the peril that many women feel in submitting
themselves to their husbands. He is gracious to those who choose to do so despite the
fears that arise within them. This truly finds great favor with Yahweh. Oh how He
will minister grace and mercy to those who choose to entrust themselves to Him and
to abide by His governmental order, overcoming every objection that arises within
themselves.

I have great compassion for the fears of women. I know how difficult it is to submit
to someone who very well may make decisions that will bring negative consequences.
As I struggled with this issue at one time, I asked God what it would hurt for a man
to just capitulate and to tell his wife that they would run their marriage like a
democracy and all decisions would be made with the equal voice of both partners. I
was asking God, “If a man chooses to lay aside the authority delegated to him, and
out of compassion for his wife to never ask her to do anything that caused her
distress or discomfort, what would be wrong with this?” God spoke back to me so
quickly that I was startled. He said, “Honor would be missing.”

A wife is told to honor her husband as man is to honor his head, Yahshua the
Messiah. God has created a divine mystery where the marriage relationship mirrors
the relationship of Christ with His Bride. The King James Version of the Bible
renders the word honor as ‘reverence’.

Ephesians 5:32-33
This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as
himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
(KJV)

The word reverence in this verse is a very intense word. Strongs’ Hebrew and Greek
Dictionary renders it this way. 5399 phobeo (fob-eh'-o);

from 5401; to frighten, i.e. to be alarmed; by analogy, to be in awe of,
i.e. revere: