Loving as God Loves!

I heard Andy Stanley talking about Ephesians 5:21 recently so I started reflecting and studying a little around that verse and had some thoughts that I would like to share. NIV, Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Andy talks about this verse in the context of marriage in his video study iMarriage. He talks about this, not as so many have preached in the past, but in the sense of submission to each other in reverence and awe of Christ. So, I don't submit to my wife because she has done something to deserve it, or because she has earned it, I submit to my wife because of my love for Christ and because he has told me to do this in order to love HIM. Not to love my wife, but to love Him, I should submit myself to my wife. Likewise, the wife should submit to her husband, not out of respect for him, but out of respect for the Lord. Again, not because he did the dishes for you and the laundry and fixed dinner. Or not even because he does a great job at supporting the family and protecting them and providing for them, but simply because of our love for Christ.

WOW, talk about mind blowing. Seriously, have any of you thought like this before? Have you lived like this before? Do you live like that now? Would your spouse agree? I don't know about you, but I'm pretty convicted of it. I am ignorant no longer, so now I have become responsible as it says in The Message, Ephesians 4:21 My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. 22 Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything - and I do mean everything - connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life - a God-fashioned life. OK, so no more ignorance means a changed life; knowledge transformed into actions. I am responsible for changing what I am no longer ignorant about.

Oh, I know, this really sucks, I'm not liking where I'm headed here, but I'm truckin' on anyway. In further study I come across even more great stuff, and it applies even outside of marriage. Possibly even before it applies to marriage, because if we are applying it in general terms, then it will automatically apply to our marriages. You need to use your imagination here, what would this look like in our lives if this was who we were. It is who we are supposed to be. We know that, the Bible is telling us that, so now, ignorance is no more an excuse.

Listen to Paul in The Message, Ephesians 4:32 Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. 5:1 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. 2 Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that......

Read that again, just stop right here and go back and read that last paragraph and ask God to speak to you through it............

I don't love like that. I'm not sure I know how to love like that. In fact, I know I don't, only Christ through me can love like that. Christ has to be loving through us in that fashion all the days of our lives. We can't just be intentional about doing that every once in a while. It has to be who we are. Can that ever happen? Paul seems to think so, and I bet there are a few people in History besides Jesus that we can look to and see that. What if we are all capable of that kind of love? What kind of transformation can take place in my world, not just my life, but in my world, if I now act on the instruction I have received.

I am no longer ignorant, Lord, teach me to love like you!