Further Into This Momentary Marriage

Good Morning Friends!

He said over dinner, "This weather has got to let up soon!" I agreed. This morning is showing more of the same; gray, windy, and dismal. I'm forcing myself to see the power in the wind, the beauty of a prolific dark sky and the poetry in a dormant, sleepy neighborhood, but the weather is weighty and unkind. My heart longs for spring.

There is a positive side to days like this. They induce reading, or writing, or more pensive activities that can be done indoors. And so, we will pick up from where we left off in John Piper's, This Momentary Marriage.

Much is written to husbands, and I would highly recommend the reading, however I will only address the portion written to wives. I must tell you that I find it to be very worthwhile.

Using Scripture, Piper points to four characteristics in a godly wife:
Her hope in God, her ability to exercise fearlessness, her habit of internal adornment and her humble submission.

Her attitude in regard to her husband says, "I delight for you to take the initiative in our family. I am glad when you take responsibility for things and lead with love. I don't flourish in the relationship when you are passive and I have to make sure the family works."

Piper writes, "She looks away from the troubles and miseries and obstacles of life that seem to make the future bleak, and she focuses her attention on the sovereign power and love of God who rules in heaven and does on earth whatever he pleases (Ps. 115:3). She knows her Bible, and she knows her theology of the sovereignty of God, and she knows his promise that he will be with her and will help her and strengthen her no matter what."

Does that sound reasonable to you? Understand that she can only do this by God's grace. "Strength and dignity are her clothing..." Proverbs 31:25. She has to wear this strength. She isn't living in a fantasy world or wearing rose-colored glasses. She has to put it on everyday. And at the same time, she is dressed in a gentle, quiet spirit. Grasp this, she isn't a mute. This gentleness describes "the character of her action and reaction to her husband and life in general." She does everything with grace.

Lastly, I want to share Piper's definition of submission. It "is the divine calling of a wife to honor and affirm her husband's leadership and help carry it through according to her gifts." Each one of us has received a gift to use to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10 says, "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace..."

My favorite line from this writing is, "You live with free grace everyday..." With that grace we can become godly wives characterized by the four points outlined.

I hope you've been encouraged.

From the porch,
Alis