It takes great commitment to make a marriage successful and blissful. This gift of God demands the commitment of those who are involved. The good thing is that the Bible is not silent on what couples must do to make their marriages work. I pray for couples reading this devotional; your marriage will be highly successful in Jesus' name.
In Ephesians 5:21-25, we are blessed with some principles which will help us make our marriage work. The first one that catches our attention is the mutual submission between the husband and the wife. Both the husband and the wife must learn to mutually submit to one another. The reason is found in the first epistle of Paul to the Corinthians:
"Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife" 1 Corinthians 7:3-4.
Another principle that any woman who wants her marriage to succeed should imbibe is unconditional submission. This is the submission that does not attach any condition to compliance. The Christian wife must learn to submit to the husband. When she does this, she receives a blessing which money cannot buy from God.
"For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement" 1 Peter 3:5-6.
It is dangerous for a woman to go into marriage partnership with a man she will not submit herself to. It is better for such a woman not to get married at all. When the Word of God says, "Wives, submit..." some people take this as a piece of advice. However, it is not a piece of advice, but an express command; it must be obeyed. As a matter of fact, the Bible goes further to reveal the degree of submission; it says: "...as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything". Years ago, I counselled one of my daughters along this line when she began to have problems with her marriage. Initially, she did not find it pleasant, but I told her that she could not do the contrary if she really wanted her marriage to work. The problem with her then was that she was as highly educated as her husband and she felt she had equal rights with her husband. May the Lord bless your home with eternal peace in Jesus' name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.