From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>

To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"

Cc:

Sent: Fri, Feb 2, 2024 at 5:46 AM

Subject: 2-2-24 THOUGHTS

2-2-24   THOUGHTS

We view the mutualism of love this morning.  Love happens between us.  It’s a sharing process. LOVE and SUBJECTION are intermingled.  And why not...  “Love does not seek its own!”  1Cor 13:5   Subjection allows another to be put ahead of me.  Is that bad?  It is biblical!  Christ put all of us ahead of Himself!  The words “gave Himself up” are most powerful!  It was LOVE that made this possible.  If we turn this into a male-female discussion, we miss its beauty.  Surely God has given us roles in life.  Here, Christ is the head of the Church!  Work from that one!  The role came from a “LOVE THAT DIED!”  The tensions and struggles that come from “the self seeking its own”, are unworthy of the blood bought child of God!  1Cor 13:13   “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Eph 5:21-33     and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.  22  Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  23  For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.  24  But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.  25  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26  so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27  that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. 28  So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29  for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30  because we are members of His body. 31  FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. 32  This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.  33  Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

My Prayer:
Father, teach us the love that can joyfully submit,  and show us the blessings that come from it.  May we see Your way,  and know that it is not in ourselves to direct our own steps.   Help us as husbands and fathers to lead with a true love that pulls a willingness to itself.  As we fold ourselves into ourselves, may we awaken to the power of doing things as You desire.  We love You and magnify Your great name.   It is in Jesus that we pray,    Amen.