Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Respect: The Yoke

I love doing weddings. I have never had a bride pass out at the altar but I have had at least two grooms and a best man fall like tall timber. Funniest thing you ever saw. None of them were hurt other than ego. But the YOKE of God fell on them and they fell down.

I have married about 70 or so couples. Every time and I mean every time the YOKE of God falls onto the groom right before the ceremony. They have a hard time breathing, it is like they want to run but they don't. They are becoming aware in their heart of hearts that God is placing upon them an accountablity for the bride, her children to come.

The yoke bears down on the husband, the father. It is a weight he carries every day. While the woman is always a mother to her children this yoke is different.

There are three keys words to the YOKE
1. Provision. The father, the husband is responsible for providing for his own. He is to look into the future and insure that all the needs of his family are taken care of. He is to keep his eyes to their provision no matter what it takes.

2. Protection. The yoke of God demands that the husband and father protect his family. Most of the attacks that are threatened against his children and wife are at the hands of other men. He knows men better than they and must pro-actively chose a defense which keeps the battle outside of the home.

3. Direction. Life is a series of choices. The wise father and husband does not demand the right to determine each and every one but he does take the responsibility for them all. He has to learn how to lead his spouse and each child. The father is the primary adult responsible to lead his children to God.

Every day the man awakens and longs for the respect that the Yoke of God around his neck and life demands. While no man is able to live up to the fullest expectations of the Yoke most of us try. Gracious respect granted by faith in the God that stands behind us encourages us in the right direction.

The Ache of a Man's Heart

The ache of every man's heart centers around a desire for Respect.

However, very, very, very few woman understand what the word means. Gabi and I were watching Mr. Holland's Opus and we both commented on the movie. Gabi hates the scene where the pretty high school girl moves in on the old man. I love the scene because the old man proves his metal and stays true to his heart, his wife and family. He gives up a hope to fulfill his call to write music to stay true to his primary call - to his wife and family. YEAH! And then when he comes home and kisses his wife, he says, "I love you". She replies, "I know." Wow!!! That is respect driven by faith, hopefully in God first and then in her husband.

Men long for respect from each other, from their spouses and their children. Most live without it. Yet push on any way. There are three heart ache aspects to the word respect.

1. To be respected for the YOKE.
2. To be respected for the DRIVE.
3. To be respected for the CALL.

Ladies, ask God for grace to understand HIS design He placed in your husbands and sons and father concerning respect. In the same way, we don't understand naturally what it means to cherish you, we have to learn it - you too must learn what it means to respect a man.