sermon last night

Dominic gave an honest and heartfelt sermon last night on wives and husbands from 1 Peter. The podcast isn’t up yet, but click here for a sneak peek of the issues we explored as a church.

As someone preparing to get married, I was encouraged by my pastor’s honesty regarding the difficulties of married life. It was also the first time I had heard the idea of “considering your wife” taught as “living/dwelling with a woman according to knowledge”, i.e. knowing your wife so well that you provide for her a safe place to be open and honest.

Although this sounds a little like Oprah pop-psychology on first hearing, I think it makes perfect sense in light of a women’s call to voluntary yield herself to her husband’s leadership. If a man makes a woman feel safe and honoured, submission becomes a joy, not a resentful chore. Likewise, if a woman makes a man feel respected and valued, leadership becomes a privilege, not a position to abuse or a role to assume with reluctance.