The King

Last night at my bible study on Colossians we studied Chapter 3, where Paul lays down some "Rules for the Christian Household".  The first of these is the oft quoted, "Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord". This is followed by "Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.  Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged."  These words are timeless and echo across the centuries.

They also cause me to meditate on my own life and household.  How have I loved my wife?  Do I treat her harshly?  Have I supported and not embittered my children?  How can I do better by my family?  For me, the first thing that I can do is remember who truly is the head of the household.  If we, as a Christian family, make Christ the head of our house, then we can follow his example when it comes to love, compassion, patience and forgiveness.  These are the tenets of what a home should be.

I am reminded of the day we took our marriage vows almost thirty-three years ago.  At that service, a dear friend told the story of an acting troupe who had been putting on the same play for many weeks and were readying for the final performance.  Their lines had become lifeless and the movements rote.  They were relieved to know that the run was coming to an end.  Suddenly, a page burst through the door with news that the King had arrived and was going to view the performance.  The excitement ran rampant through the cast and the energy was renewed.  That evening was the best performance of the run.  All because of that renewed energy and attention by having the King present for their performance.

Our marriages and family life can quickly become a dull play, like the acting troupe and the daily performance.  We can end up just going through the motions. That is, until we recognize that the King is always present.  If we make Christ the head of our household and recognize Gods presence in all that we do; then our home and family life can take on renewed energy and life. The selfless love of Christ provides us an example of how we can live each day in the presence of the King.

Live today well loved!