"Portions of this post were adapted from Catching Foxes: A Gospel-Guided Journey to Marriage"I now realize that any good discussion about the roles and responsibilities of husbands and wives in marriage should first and often highlight our deep need for the grace of God. Fulfilling the roles is fruit. God reigning in our hearts is the root.
“But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.” (Luke 22:26) Each of us, more likely than not, carries in mind some idea about greatness in human life. If someone were to ask, “What does it mean to be great, or a great person?” we could probably drum up some kind of definition. And that’s what I want you to do now. Define greatness. Consider what you think it means and involves.
Strangers devour his strength, yet he does not know it; Gray hairs also are sprinkled on him, yet he does not know it. (Hosea 7:9) Sin renders our hearts more calloused. Pride blinds. Idolatry, among many things, keeps us hard of hearing and dull to the perils, pains, and consequences of our woeful estate. Self-absorption, quite ironically, produces in us a heightened sensitivity to everyone else’s evil, but far less sensitivity to our own.
Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants. ” But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place?” (Genesis 50:18-19) We find in Joseph a kind of humble grace that deserves our thought and appreciation. His brothers had wronged him severely. They
Then the Lord said to Cain… (Genesis 4:6a) The Scripture provides a wide range of case material packed with truth and meaning for counseling ministry. The story of Cain offers a prime example (Genesis 4:1-16). While we don’t have access to the details of Cain’s childhood, we can probably learn a few
