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“I, Amanda, take thee, Michael, to be my husband. I promise to love you, honor you, and obey you…”
Amanda and Michael deliberately used traditional vows in their ceremony. Amanda knew the Bible said, “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord” in Ephesians 5:22. She trusted God. His Word said she should submit to her husband as to Him and she intended to do it.
A few weeks after the honeymoon, Michael was frowning as he went through the bills. “Amanda, what is this bill for La Salon?”
“I got my hair cut and highlighted last week.”
“This bill is for $80. We weren’t budgeted for an $80 haircut and highlight.”
“What do you mean we weren’t budgeted for it? I always get my hair cut at La Salon. A cut is $30. Every six months I get my highlights retouched. That’s $50.”
“Maybe you need to rethink the highlights.”
“I thought you liked my hair.”
“I do like your hair, honey. You’re beautiful. But you’d still be beautiful without highlights and it would be a lot easier on our budget.”
“I like the highlights.”
“I know. Look, at least let me know before you do it.”
“Whatever.”
Later that week Amanda discovered a receipt for CDs and sheet music when she was updating their computer checking account.
“Hey, Mike, what’s this receipt for CDs and music?”
“Hmm?” Michael said, looking up from the football game. “Oh yeah, I bought a praise and worship CD and the latest from He Lives. It’s awesome. You’ve got to hear it. And I got the guitar book to go with it.”
“You know that cost about $30?”
“Sure.”
“Maybe you could tell me before you spend money on stuff like that? You know, I might want to get my hair highlighted.”
“What?”
“Now you know how you made me feel the other day.”
“I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings. We have to be careful not to overspend.”
“But it’s okay for you to go out and spend money on music without telling me?”
“No, Amanda, it isn’t. Now you’re making me mad.”
Amanda walked out of the room. Her stomach hurt.
“God, I’m sorry,” she prayed. “I know I was awful, but I’ve always gotten my hair highlighted and cut. And I’ve never spent money on music the way Mike does.”
As she prayed Amanda remembered promising to obey Michael.
What was I thinking? she wondered. “God, it’s easy to obey you,” she prayed. “I trust you and know you want the best for me. But Mike is just a man. What if he messes everything up?”
One word came clearly into Amanda’s mind. Pray.
Amanda decided to read her Bible. She opened it to where she had left off the day before.
Proverbs 21:1 “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.”
Amanda thought about that statement. If God was able to direct the king’s heart like a watercourse, surely He had Michael’s heart in his hand as well.
“Father,” she prayed. “I think you’re saying that if I pray for Michael, you’ll direct his heart like a watercourse. I can obey him as if he were you because you have his heart in your hand.”
Amanda felt God’s peace surround her.
“I trust you, God. I believe Mike’s heart is in your hand. I will submit to him as to you and trust you to lead us.”
Amanda walked back into the living room.
“Mike, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten my hair done without telling you and I’m sorry I gave you a hard time about the music.”
“It’s okay, Love. I’m sorry, too.”
Amanda smiled and nestled down on the couch beside her husband.
Several months later Amanda told Michael she thought God was telling her it was time to start a family. She watched the color visibly drain from his face as she spoke.
“I’ll need to think about this,” he said.
“I know.”
For three days the subject was not mentioned and Amanda started feeling angry. She wanted to confront Michael and make him tell her what he was thinking. Instead she prayed, “Father, please lead Michael. I trust you to direct his heart. Please give me peace while I wait. Help me be patient.”
Two hours later Michael interrupted her vacuuming. He took her hands in his, looked into her eyes, smiled and said, “Okay.”
NIV
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