Fathers' Day

Today is Fathers' Day. The classic scripture passage that comes to mind when we think of family is the last of part of Ephesians 5 and the first part of Ephesians 6. In that passage God calls for wives to submit and husbands to love. A husband is given 5 implications regarding loving his wife, and 2 directives for training his children. But lest you think, “I’m not a husband or father so that section of scripture doesn’t apply to me,” let me remind you that Ephesians 5 starts with these words, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us” (Eph 5:1-2a). Ephesians 5:21 says, “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” The very next verse, Eph 5:22, begins the section on marriage. In other words, we are all called to love and submit in life whether we are married or not. Therefore, whatever God says to wives and husbands applies to all of us in whatever state of life we find ourselves. Every individual is called to both submit and love. By listening in on what God says about submission and love within marriage, we can learn what that should look like for all of us whether we have children or not, are married or single, are divorced or widowed, these truths apply to us all. Let me challenge you to read through Ephesians chapters 5 and 6 again asking God, "Lord, what do I need to learn here?" You might be surprised.