Ephesians 5: 15 – 33

January 18, 2023

15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Indeed they are: 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

We redeem our time by staying in the Word, expanding our prayer time wherever and whenever possible (the car is a great place for this – instead of listening to the radio, listen to a cd of Christian music or any of the Bible cd sets – or simply speak your heart to the Lord), take as many Bible classes as you can. We have more time available to us than we think we do – we manage to find time to do those things we enjoy, right? So … a little readjustment of priorities will open time for redeeming time.

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Ephesians 5: 15 – 33

Jan. 19, 2022

15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

18And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

19Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

20Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Where do I begin? St. Paul had no clue about the 21st Century. There is not a wife on the planet that couldn’t write an encyclopedia in regard to husbands in general and her husband in particular. Let me count the ways. Sometimes I think God gave us husbands to make us better Christians! How many times have you walked away from a situation remembering Jesus told us we’re to forgive 70 x 7 times? And the hubster just pushed you to 71? The words of an old country song floats around my brain, “Old men sit and talk about the weather, old women sit and talk about old men”. Title of the song is “Forever and Ever. Amen” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ohFLeWijl4). And that about sums it up – forever and ever. Amen.

The whiskers in the bathroom sink; the socks on the living room floor; leaving kitchen cabinet doors open … it’s all just a test. Our dogs, cats, kids, do far worse things and yet we have little patience with the husband – he is, after all, an adult and should know better. Why? Because we hold him in such high esteem – whether we like to admit or not. I didn’t marry the guy with the baggy jeans and the t-shirt that saw better days 10 years ago! I married the Knight in shining armor riding the white steed on whom I pinned every hope and dream. All these years later I realize that it was never the Knight – it was this silly, annoying, funny bag of contradictions; the big laugh, and sweet smile, the good heart and the kindness, that I married. Forever and ever. Amen.

But don’t get me started on ….