Christian Living

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Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.
Col. 3:18-22.

A lot of us who are not scientifically minded would think that water is replenished coming from outer space. No! Water moves round in a cyclic manner from rain to water bodies and water in the soil and back to the atmosphere as vapour. If one body of water refuses to yield its own contribution at the appropriate time or seek to appropriate to itself more than it should, the whole cycle breaks down in a matter of years.

The Spiritual cycle of responsibility, just like all bio-geochemical cycles is dependent on each component doing its bit. Everything works fine when each component party knows its duties and applies itself to doing it without waiting for the other. This is the way God seeks to instill peace in the world. A study of the scriptures shows a definite pattern. For instance, in Ephesians 5:22-33. God admonishes wives to submit to their husbands while the husbands have a greater duty to love. It is however HUMANLY difficult (caps mine) to love if there is no submission hence the Bible addresses wives first.

We must however understand that the farther you are from the beginning of the cycle, the greater is your responsibility in maintaining it. It is easier for rain to fall in response to gravity whereas for water to defy the law of gravity in order to move back into the atmosphere it needs to be transformed into a different state (gas, vapour), which is more energy dependent. Even though it is secondary, the responsibility of love is greater than the responsibility of submission because love is expected to give ALL, despite and in spite of the prevailing circumstances. The duty of the man therefore may include dying (in all areas) for his family and this, to me, is a greater responsibility. However, it is God who gives the grace for this level of service (Divine enablement) and He demonstrated that it can be done when "..while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us". He never waited for our own submission before doing His own part. The Lord therefore expects every believer to do his/her duty: that is why the Bible says, "...God will avenge every disobedience when your own obedience is complete".

The true believer is recognised by his/her complete obedience to the Word of God in every day life.

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