Other than the veil, we do have to remember that husband and wife in their relationship with each other are to emulate the relationship we are supposed to have with God. It seems that as relationships go with God, so goes our relationships in marriage. When God created humanity, before the fall, there was a perfect relationship we had with God and each other. Not so much today.

We have a hard time with one word: submit. We are all called to submit to God in every way. We say a lot of things. We tell God we give ourselves to Him and even try to do God’s will. But we all fall short. “Thy will be done” is in our daily prayer, but for this to be accomplished, we are the ones that need to do it. Because we do not will what God wills, we need to submit to God’s will. Our will is opposed to God’s will because of our ignorance and stiffened neck (Ex 32:9). If we do not understand, we judge God and tell Him He is wrong. But the Lord is patient.

Our stubbornness makes us experience our submission as something evil, when it was designed by God to be an act of love. We have to remind ourselves that God submitted Himself to us as He was dying on the cross. Though we were yet still sinners, He entrusted his very self to us, knowing the sins we would commit and the suffering He would endure for submitting Himself to us. By human standards, not a very wise decision. But by God’s standard, it is the wisdom of God and the power of God (1 Cor 1:24). In our lack of submission to God, He in turn shows us how much we can trust in Him, by submitting Himself to us. It shows us His character. God, the innocent one, submits himself to the multitude of sinners to win us over to Himself. He does this not because He benefits from us, but that we may benefit from Him and His goodness.

Submission to God is not the opening to use and abuse like when He submitted to us. Rather, submitting to God is where we discover our true self as we discover His Love for us. We come to fulfillment, peace, healing and wholeness when we put ourselves under His care. Jesus is the breadwinner that pays the price for all our sins. He supplies for our fruitfulness, and gives us purpose and direction. He was willing to die for us, so that we may have life, and have that life to the fullest (Jn 10:10). Submission to God now becomes a discovery of the goodness of God and a reason to abandon oneself totally to Him. God is good.

Imagine a world where God has not chosen to be so good to us. What if people chose not to believe in His goodness? I think we are experiencing some of that now. What if husbands chose not to love their wives as Christ has loved us? What if wives were not given a reason to trust in their bridegroom?

Thank God He has been so good to us and that He has proven His trustworthiness. God is indeed good!