Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
Summary: At first glance this passage seems to imbue husbands with authority, but on closer examination we see that the point of Paul’s words is very different. You might say they are humbling.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:23 – The Bride-Price”Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.
Summary: Since at least the days of Queen Vashti and King Xerxes, there has been trouble between husbands and wives. Paul embarks on a bit of marriage counseling in this passage.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:22 – The Heart of the Home”Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Summary: “Me first” is a concept that goes back to the beginning of human history. It is the essence of our sinful nature rolled up into two words. Putting Christ first in our lives radically changes this concept, turning it upside down and inside out.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:21 – The Answer to Everything”… in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Summary: Coming in the name of Jesus carries with it both responsibility, and power and authority.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:20b – In His Name”… always giving thanks to God the Father for everything,
Summary: Being thankful is both an experience and a choice. Paul wants us to learn an important life skill by choosing to be thankful all the time.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:20a – The Path to Happiness”Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord …
Summary: Paul challenges us to (cringe) be undignified. Honoring God can sometimes bring us to a place where we choose between “looking cool” and being humble before the Lord.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:19b – David’s Dance”… speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.
Summary: Paul challenges us to do something that few have attempted. It is not a common practice to speak to each other on psalms, but it is something that we should probably try, if for no other reason that God’s Word says we should do it.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:19a – Songs From the Spirit”Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit …
Summary: As a boy, I had a dream. Building an underwater boat never became a reality, but the lessons learned from chasing that dream provide insight into Paul’s words for today.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:18 – Deep Thoughts”Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Summary: Understanding the Lord’s will is both simple and complicated. The simple part is knowing that we are loved and that God wants us to love him and others. The challenge is avoiding Satan’s traps.
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:17 – Soul Goal”… because the days are evil.
Summary: Like so many words, there are different meanings for “evil.” In this case Paul might as well have said “because the days are difficult.”
Continue reading “Ephesians 5:16b – Why We Do It”