Friday, February 27, 2009

Meditation Monday - belated. Headstrong or Headship?

Instead of creating a whole new topic I thought it would be great to carry on along the same lines of the previous two Meditation Mondays and quote another extract from our book. Just to update you, the French version is ready and is being printed while I type! As we have our own Publishing House (called OASIS) we are able to distribute our own books. Here a sneek peak of our cover of the French edition. I am very excited about it and hope it will be a tool to help many couples find harmony in their marriage.


(front and back cover spread)

As said the title of our Book is: The Mission of Submission (digging out the root of conflict and tension in marriage). The red thread that runs through all the chapters is extracted from the Biblical truths of the source of Authority and our respect for it.
Our emphasis is on how we have discovered these Biblical principles work and have given us harmony in our marriage.

The verse to underline this meditation is: 1 Cor.11:3

"But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God".

Quote:

The whole teaching of male headship is one of the most attacked and controversial teachings in the Bible. But why is it so difficult for a human being, man and woman alike, to have someone placed above us? Is it so difficult for us Christians to see that attitude has probably everything to do with the seed of independence the enemy has planted in each and everyone of us, since we all descend from Adam and Eve? Everybody wants to be independent and a 'no-one-tells-me-what-to-do' attitude is something most people actually like and respect. But God knows what the origin is, and He wants us to be totally dependant upon Him!

Jacqueline and I both have come to cherish this principle. I for one know for sure I want to be dependant on my Head, Jesus-Christ: He knows best, and His intentions are always for my good! As for Jacqueline, sometimes she just comes to me, sighs a sigh of relief, and says something like: "How wonderful not having to be responsible for everything, and to take shelter under your headship!" During our seminars teaching on this subject, it is such a pain to see women burdened, carrying a grim look on their faces, bearing loads God never intended them to carry. Often the husband sits next to them appearing very laid-back, not really conscious of any real dangers.

I remember a conversation I had once with a couple. The woman was burdened and stressed, and the man was just sitting comfortably on the couch. At one point, he said to me pointing at his wife: "She is like a watchdog, when something is wrong, she'll sniff it out!" He actually thought he was giving her a compliment! I told him that he was supposed to be the guardian of his home, and that God wanted him to take up this responsibility, and to relieve her from such a heavy burden! That earned me a smile from the woman!

We have come to see that most women deep down yearn for loving, caring, protecting headship. And no wonder! God created it like that. In the end, we will all be the more happier and relaxed if we just take the position God has assigned to us. This yielding always carries the approval and blessing of God, for both men and women.

Unquote

I know there are women whose husbands don't take in their place as Head of the home as well as women who take over their husband's responsibility. I have been there! It is true that I have found more harmony in my being by heeding to this loving advice from God! It also released my husband to find his true identity as head of the home!

That was it for today, although short and incomplete I hope that you can relate to it so that it will be a blessing. Of course, this subject goes much further and is handled in a deeper way in our book.

Many blessings, Jacqueline x

3 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing this week, Jacqueline. I liked seeing the outside of your book as well.

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  2. Oh Jacqueline! This is such a big issue for me... How do I get my husband to accept his role as Head of Household and embrace it in a more active role rather than passive???
    I am that woman you talked about... I am the one scrubbing, cleaning, emptying the trash, changing the light bulbs, taking care of the yard, the kids, and working outside the home!

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  3. Thanks for sharing this - such a hard subject to tackle. So many people will read this, and even if they don't respond with a comment, your witness will not be wasted.
    Ros

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