I wear a wedding ring because I am married. The ring does not simply signify that I have a wife. My ring represents my wife. In wearing my ring, I am declaring that I am only one half of a greater whole. It is a celebration of my wife and my love for her.
Ephesians chapter 5 has some controversial ideas for our current culture. It is often taken out of context. The teaching about wives submitting to their husbands is often misrepresented and misused, which is a big no-no (Exodus 20:7). In the context of Ephesians 5, the Apostle Paul is teaching about how God's people should conduct themselves. The title of his lesson could be in Ephesians 5:1 and the summation of the lesson can be found in Ephesians 5:32.
In His genius, God instituted marriage. As the Apostle Paul points out in Ephesians 5:32, it refers to Christ and the church. The act of submitting cannot be viewed as weakness. Humility before God and in obedience to God is, in the eyes of Christ Jesus, strength (Mark 9:35). The wives are not the only ones being called upon to submit. We are all to submit to one another (Ephesians 5:17-21).
So, in my rambling, I'm trying to make the point that marriage is a representation of our relationship with our God. A relationship that should be treated with the utmost respect and humility toward one another. A relationship that should be taken seriously, that should be approached with reverence and a thankful heart. A relationship that should be celebrated with a joyful heart.
When I look at my wedding ring, I see everything that is good in my life. I see my wife and I smile.
God is AWESOME!
