Day 5: God Delegated His Authority
Hope for Your Marriage
A Prayer for The Continuation of This Study
Heavenly Father our God, gracious God most high, thank you for the gift of today. I am asking that you will take over the hearts and minds of our readers. Have them not take these words personally but take them to heart and as encouragement. Let them not take these words lightly or hold them idly God. Change them in such a way that each is racing to open their Bible to see what news you have for the benefit of their eternity that rests securely in you. Let them understand that the fruit of a deeper relationship with you manifests itself as a stronger marriage that is equipped to rear children who will serve the Lord. Praise you, oh Lord, for this prayer. May it come from my heart. May it be genuine and true. May it be according to your will. Dear Lord, please answer my call. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Authority is Necessary
In the previous three sections, we discussed God’s authority and what He did with His authority. Today we will examine how, being created in His image, our God shared some of His authority with us. Typically, if someone gives you power, they are giving you the ability to do something. Before we can have our happily ever after, we must first continue to unfold the reason God created us in the first place – for eternal purposes.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:10
Ephesians 2:10, the verse above, reminds us that all things point to something much bigger than ourselves … Christ. As we examine God’s delegated authority within our marriages and the order that abiding in our role brings, please be clear, our roles are not meant to limit us. Did you hear that wives? Nor are our roles intended to give our spouse supreme power or dominion over us. In keeping with the verse, the delegated authority within our marriages is necessary for good works. I can guarantee that if you and your spouse filter your authoritative roles within your marriage through this verse, the fruit of your good works will produce two individuals so united that you will have a trail of people wanting to know your secret. The good news is that it is no secret at all. This is the life we are all called to live.
Fantasy vs. Reality
For the most part, I spent much of my early years fantasizing about the day I would become a bride. Most of the images in my fantasies were influenced by outside things such as fictional books and scenes depicted on television and in movies. I grew up searching for someone who could make me “happy.”
As for my husband, he did not grow up with this same fairytale fantasy of “love.” From a very early age he often found himself in sinful situations. He has no recollection of whether his actions were prompted by instincts or produced from witnessing impure things while growing up. There began his quest to find a woman who could meet his physical needs. “Love” was nowhere on his radar. In all fairness to my husband, I too found myself in sinful situations from time to time, as we all do. However, I was hoping that one of my conquests would end in “love.” Unguided and naïve, I know. As for my husband, no thought at all was put into the future results of his choices. Even still, his choices too were unguided and naïve in their own way.
Naturally, when we married, I thought I had found my prince charming and my prince charming thought that he was going to get lucky every night. At that point, we were no longer unguided but misguided in our thoughts and beliefs and, yes, still naïve. We had to work on our hearts together to gain the wisdom we now have. Though we have come far, we continue to work out our salvation within our marriage as the Spirit allows.
Exercising Our Authority
“And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 1:28
God delegated his authority to Adam and Eve. It was God’s very intention that Adam and Eve would have supreme power over the Earth. They were to populate the Earth with children who would serve as his vice agents. Also, the couple was expected to develop the Earth’s resources and keep order among them by ruling over all the Earth’s inhabitants, especially the living creatures that move along the ground – namely snakes! As the offspring of Adam and Eve, we have inherited their authority over the Earth. Our job is to exercise this power in a manner that points all things to God.
“For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen”
Romans 11:36
The significance of this verse is that here we see clearly our call as a married couple. Please commit to looking at your marriage this week and ask yourself the questions below. Search your hearts and tear down the walls built on worldly cornerstones and rebuild your marriage on the one true cornerstone, Christ.
Questions
Is the foundation of your union built on Godly cornerstones?
What is your idea of a perfect spouse?
Why do you believe the institution of marriage was created? Are your beliefs based on God’s word? If so, can you reference the scriptures from which your ideas are found?
What was your definition of marriage before today’s lesson? What is your definition now?
Why did God delegate his authority to us?
How are we to use our authority?
Feel free to share your thoughts and feelings with me by emailing me at mercedes.cotchery@gmail.com.
Our hope is that this study is working to enlighten, enrich and heal your life and marriage.