The "S" Word...

Not sex, sexy or sexier... Elevate your minds, ladies (plus, we'll talk about that at a later date :) )What is the one word that we always hear in marriage vows that we try to change?
SUBMIT
Did that send a chill up and down your spine? It should have. Women have hated this word, right along with her sister "obey". Truth is there is nothing to despise, dislike or be afraid of. There is nothing to hate. Our people perish for their lack of knowledge, so let's learn some things, shall we?

Bottoms line, it's not a request; it's a requirement.
Requirement she says!
Don't believe me? Okay I'll prove it...

Ephesians 5:22-23
"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as you do to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything."

It's the same in every version. You can check if you don't believe me.
I'm not telling you to do it.
Your pastor isn't telling you to do it.
Your husband isn't telling you to do it.

God says it... The end.

But... But... But...
Haven't we been through this already?

Women have taken it out of their vows, closed their eargates during premarital counseling.... My husband told me I had a problem submitting and I think I blacked out for a minute. So you are definitely not alone.
The one thing that began to stand out to me as I studied this particular s-word was the part where we submit as to God.
I don't know about anyone else, but I serve at my church home faithfully. I break my neck to be on time, I do completely all of my assignments to the best of my abilities and I', available to my pastor and bishop anytime they need me. They consider me reliable and responsible. When something needs to be done, count on Sam to be able to do it, or find someone who can.
And as I thought about it, I honestly couldn't say the same for my husband.
Ouch! Was that my own toe I just stepped on?
Anyway, in being that one that was taking the initiative to improve my marriage, I had to realize that I was not submitting to my husband as into God. I wasn't cooking his dinner every night the way he wanted. I wasn't keeping the house clean the way he asked me to. And yes, my wifely duties to pleasure my husband were slacking as well.
But he should understand, right?
I'm spending time serving the Lord, right?
We have six children, the house is as clean as it can get, right?
Nope. Wrong again.  *sigh*
Maybe I wasn't only resisting submitting to my husband... I was resisting submitting to God as well.

James 4:7
"Submit yourselves,then,to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

Submitting to God keeps my life in His will, where it is meant to be. It keeps you close to the Lord who will direct you as to where you were supposed to go and what you are to say. It keeps your life on track, marriage included.
Yeah, I was serving my pastor and my bishop, and being on time and completing my work, and I'm sure the Lord was pleased with that. However, there were areas in my life that I unconsciously considered off limits to God. I had to repent to my Father, forgive myself and start over.
The same went for my husband.
The Father tells is in the scripture above that we must submit to our husbands in everything. That doesn't mean that you lose your right to speech when you say "I do", but it means that you have to respectfully understand that the decisions are ultimately up to your man. The scripture also says that when we resist the devil, he will flee. The enemy has no place in your marriage when you are actively living in the will of God for your life. The more obedient you are, the closer the threefold cord of marriage will be, and there is even less of a space for the devil to try to squeeze in.
You married him, so trust him, or at least trust God through him. Just like there are rules for you, there are for your husband too.
Submit doesn't mean that I'm his slave... It means that I'm happy to serve my husband and bring glory to God.