My wife’s love note from two years ago says, “Lower the volume of your voice, tunog kaayo (too loud).”
No, we are not arguing. It’s a friendly reminder from a workmate. See, there’s no exclamation mark. 🙂
I was replying to a call at my table with my headphones on. So, it’s that moment when you thought you were speaking softly, but the output was loud.
For our 19th wedding anniversary, I reflected on the essential things in our relationship.
Among the many, what stood out for me was learning to submit according to Ephesians 5:21.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5:21
I looked up the meaning of “submit” in Strong’s Greek Concordance, and the meaning I chose is:
“to subject oneself, to obey; to submit to one’s control; to yield to one’s admonition or advice: absolutely,“
However, this is not “submission” according to the ordinary worldly understanding, which means surrender. I am sure that “submitting to one’s control” will be hard for many men and women.
This is not “submission” in a wrestling match, UFC or MMA, where one needs to wrap their limbs, twist, pull, and hurt until the other one taps in surrender.
Most importantly, this is not a one-sided submission but submitting to one another.
It is not submission to envelope but to develop one another.
It is submitting to one another to build and empower one another.
The overarching context of “submit” in Ephesians 5:21 is “under God’s arrangement“ and not the arrangement that a wife or husband would direct.
It is submitting to one another out of reverence (deep respect) for Christ.
We thank the Lord God for the 19 years of learning how to submit to one another and the joys and happiness that learning brings.
Praying for His loving guidance as we journey on. Cheers to more years ahead!
Submit to one another: for me it is taking our relationship to a level that we are on the same page and that our timing and schedules are insync. Everyday we attend to our responsibilities and obligations but we dont wait for weekends to just jump at every opportunity that presents itself that we could celebrate the love and oneness like we just met each other. But Sundays we need to be together for Church Service and to meet with the Brethren which is by now almost like family to us. Thankfully, our sons are on their own so we have so much time together. We also pursue independently our hobbies: she is homemaking , cooking and watercoloring. Myself my happiness is inside my woodshop alone and working on a project. We however never forget to pray together Love, respect and giving each other space are my secrets.