(Spoiler alert: I am giving away a great new book on marriage so make sure you read to the end!)
I overheard my husband talking to our single, young adult children about marriage. Danny stated that aside from his decision to follow Jesus, marrying me was the most important choice he’s ever made. (I’m a blessed woman!) He went on to say that he could go through many difficult things in life, but to go home every night to a cold, loveless marriage would be unbearable. Sadly, some of you know that well and I am sorry. A marriage void of love is not what the Lord had in mind when He created male and female and established covenant. Marriage is a picture of Christ’s relationship with us. To be separated from the love of Jesus would be unbearable – thanks be to God for His indescribable gift to us!
Marriage is a sacred covenant that is often entered into haphazardly. Multiple thousands of dollars are spent on weddings, while often times not a penny is spent before or after the wedding on marriage enrichment. With divorce statistics rising – even in the church – it’s time to get serious about what the Lord has to say about marriage.
- Dig into your Bible – Genesis opens with a marriage, Revelation ends with a wedding, and in between the two there is much to learn about covenant relationship.
- Attend a great marriage retreat or conference.
- Spend money on marriage counseling, if needed.
- Pick up a book full of biblical principles on marriage.
- Pray over your marriage!
I was asked to review Jen Weaver’s new book, A Wife’s Secret of Happiness. I have to admit that I questioned reading a book on marriage written by someone so young. But, since marriage is dear to my heart and under such attack in our society, I chose to dig into Jen’s book. Yes, we need to hear from women who have stayed the long stretch in marriage, but we need the younger generation getting on board, steering us to God’s plan for marriage as well. This is just what Jen’s book offers. She’s a woman after God’s heart, eager to please the Lord, and she keeps it real! The book is full of practical application, testimonies of other women and bonus downloads throughout.
This is not a book complaining about men or skirting the tough mandates in Scripture that have become unpopular in our culture. Jen actually tackles the biblical “s” word head on – submission. Regardless of where our culture is, I believe God’s Word is relevant. If we pulled out an ancient book on marriage, it would probably not be applicable today. Because Jen’s writing is backed up with Scripture, I believe this book will remain relevant and useful for years to come.
Back to the word submission – Jen tackles this beautifully in the chapter titled, The Blessing of Unity. I appreciate Jen, right off the bat, reminding us that “submission doesn’t apply to abusive leadership or coercion to sin.” And all the ladies said, “Amen!” Jen states, “Submission is meant to bring unity not drive a wedge into the marital relationship.”
Just as Jesus submitted to the Father, He asks wives to submit to their husbands. I believe wives have the easier mandate – Jesus asks husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church. THAT is a tall order – especially once a month! To quote Jen again:
“Please hear me on this: submission means a yielded heart, not a silenced one. I’m a co-laborer and collaborator with Jared as we seek the Lord and work to prove faithful with his instruction. I have my husband’s back, and I trust him to cover me from the front lines.”
Love and submission are God’s plan for unity in marriage. Love is best seen in Jesus laying His life down for us. Submission is best seen in Jesus submitting His will to the Father. As we approach Easter in a few weeks, let’s ask the Lord to give us fresh insight into the sacrificial love and submission of Jesus. May we not forget the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit in our lives as we remember the empty tomb.
We serve a risen Savior who is still has the power to bring dead things to life!
It is never too late to start afresh. God’s mercies are new every morning and I don’t know a marriage that is not in need of use some fresh mercy. Ask for it. Receive it. Apply it. Give it!
Speaking of giving – I have a copy of Jen Weaver’s book, A Wife’s Secret to Happiness, to give away. Put your name in my drawing by doing 2 simple things:
- Subscribe to my website. (scroll to the bottom left corner or the top right corner of the website.)
- Comment on this post about your thoughts on submission.
I will close out the drawing on Thursday, April 6, 2017. Regardless, go grab two copies of this book – one for you and one to give away. It would be great to discuss in a small group setting.
