Fearless at Home

My favorite church name (other than Cottonwood of course), is Counterculture. The name, I think, is cool, accurate, and frightening in practice.

The passage for our study this week is countercultural. It’s Col. 3:18-21, which says, “Wives, submit to your husbands… Husbands, love your wives…. Children, obey your parents.”

That’s hard to do. It always has been. It’s hard to submit when your husband is selfish rather than loving; or when your wife is overbearing rather than respectful; or when your parents are singing The Bohemian Rhapsody out the car window as they drop you off for school.

It’s even harder to follow when culture thinks you are an idiot.

One of Dr. Phil's favorite questions is, "How's that workin’ for you?" How’s not applying Col. 3:18-21 working for the rest of culture?

In the late 1800’s 1 in ever 34 marriages ended in divorce. Now that we ignore scripture, it’s 1 in 2. Half of all USA children will witness the breakup of their parent’s marriage (and we’re told the death of a parent is less devastating to a child than is divorce). In fact, divorce is so painful that children who come from broken homes are almost twice as likely to attempt suicide. Prison population illustrates the strength of a solid home in that over 70% of long-term inmates grew up in broken homes. With more broken homes, we have more broken lives. Perhaps this is why our prison population recently topped 2 million for the first time in history. More laws and cops can fight the symptoms. Only Jesus gives us a cure for the cause. (Stats from www.marriage-success-secrets.com.)

I have an idea, “Wives, submit to your husbands… Husbands, love your wives…. Children, obey your parents.” No, it’s not rocket science. We do this because we love Jesus and it is the right thing to do - not because it guarantees perfect kids. Everyone has a free will, and anyone can screw up the process. But, when we let Christ live in us through submission, love and obedience, the home is solid. Satan loses. We win. The world is shocked. It’s counter-cultural for sure. That’s why you have to be fearless. How are God’s promises workin’ for you? Put them to the test. Come join the fun.

Dan