A Symphony of Love
Sunday Afternoon Devotional
Welcome, dear friends and cherished readers! 🌟
Greetings from the heart of Georgia, where the azaleas bloom and the sweet tea flows! It’s your old friend Augustus Merriweather, pen in hand and heart full of gratitude for your company on this fine Sunday afternoon. I do hope this missive finds you well and in good spirits - speaking of which, we have quite the spirited discussion ahead of us today!
Before we dive into the depths of Ephesians, I’d like to extend an invitation. If you have any burning questions or topics you’d like this humble southern gentleman to ponder, please don’t hesitate to send them my way. Your thoughts and inquiries are always a welcome addition to my Sunday reflections.
🍷The Spirit’s Intoxicating Influence ✝️
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit - Ephesians 5:18
Well, I’ll be! If that isn’t a verse to make a southern gentleman sit up straight and adjust his bowtie! You see, dear readers, there was a time in my youth when I may have been a tad too familiar with the former part of this verse. But as my dear grandmother used to say, “Augustus, honey, the only spirit you need is the Holy Spirit!”
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not one to turn down a fine glass of bourbon shared among friends. But Paul’s words here remind me of something the great C.S. Lewis once wrote: “It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship."
You see, when we’re filled with the Spirit, we’re not just avoiding the pitfalls of excess - we’re embracing a divine intoxication that elevates our very being. It’s like swapping out a jug of moonshine for a cask of heavenly ambrosia!
🎵A Melody of Mutual Submission 🤝
submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ - Ephesians 5:21
Now, here’s where things get as tricky as a fox in a henhouse. Submission isn’t exactly a popular concept these days, is it? But let me tell you, as someone who’s been married to my dear Savannah for over three decades, there’s profound wisdom in these words.
I’m reminded of a delightful word from Dorothy L. Sayers. She said, “The only way to reconcile oneself to the appalling depravity of human beings is to attribute to them a capacity for improvement.” In marriage, my friends, we’re called to see that capacity in our spouse and to submit ourselves to nurturing it.
This mutual submission isn’t about dominance or subservience. No, sir! It’s more like a beautiful waltz, where each partner takes turns leading and following, all in perfect harmony with the music of Christ’s love.
💒 The Great Mystery: Christ and the Church 🕯️
This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church - Ephesians 5:32
This is the heart of the matter! Paul’s comparing marriage to the relationship between Christ and the church, and let me tell you, that’s as deep as the Chattahoochee River after a spring rain.
The great John Donne once penned, “No man is an island, entire of itself.” In marriage, we’re called to be continents, vast and varied, yet connected in the most profound way. Just as Christ loves the church sacrificially, husbands are called to love their wives with that same selfless devotion.
And wives, submitting to your husbands as the church submits to Christ? That’s not about being a doormat, no ma’am! It’s about trusting, respecting, and supporting your partner as you both journey towards Christ.
🌅 A Final Word 📖
As the sun sets on another blessed Sunday, I’m reminded of the words of Emily Dickinson: “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul - and sings the tunes without the words - and never stops at all.” May your marriages be filled with that hope, dear friends. May they be a reflection of Christ’s love for the church, and may they sing a tune that never stops.
Remember, a Spirit-filled marriage isn’t about perfection - it’s about progress. It’s about two imperfect people, stumbling together towards the perfect love of Christ. And if that ain’t worth raising a glass of sweet tea to, I don’t know what is!
Until next time, may your hearts be full, your spirits high, and your love as strong as a Georgia pine.
Yours in Christ,
Augustus Merriweather 🎩✒️
P.S. If you found a morsel of wisdom in this humble offering, I’d be much obliged if you’d share it with a friend or two. And if you haven’t already, why not subscribe to “Quill and Tweed?” After all, good company is as essential to the soul as grits are to a proper Southern breakfast!