A Daily Study of God's Word for Christian Sportsmen September 13, 2011
Today's Photograph . . . . Elk (NWS)
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Bible Study Verses
Ephesians 5:21-33
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own hus-bands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the Head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church- for we are members of His body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery-but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (NIV)
Thoughts
It's approaching the fall, the time when the bull elk get absolutely stupid in their pursuit of the cows, as many cows as possible. Yes, love is in the air, and the elk hunters know it. That stupidity will cost many a bull his life!
It's interesting to watch a big bull elk with his cows. The bull keeps the cows gathered up close and watches for and fights off other bulls so they don't steal his harem. If he wins the fight, he keeps his cows. If he loses, he loses the cows and his place in the gene pool. This is nature's way for the strongest of the species to pass along his genes and to insure that the offspring will have the best chance to survive.
The bull's job is to mate with as many cows as possible and father as many calves as he can. It's this way throughout most of the animal world, the strongest males mate with as many females as possible in order to keep the strongest genetic lines going.
(Cliff S)
Action Point
OK, so how does this relate to these verses? We all know about wives being told to submit to their husbands, but read that first verse again. It says that we're all to be submissive, husbands and wives.
Now, nature teaches us that males are to mate with many females. However, in marriage a man is to be faithful to one woman. Seems to me that that's a form of submission, guys. It's a natural inclination to be promiscuous. But, God tells men to forsake all others and to be with and love one woman, your wife. God also makes the consequences of promiscuity known to us-the ruin of a marriage, damaged children, disease, maybe even the diseased death of a loved one. All tragic and preventable.
Now, reread the rest of the verses and look at the benefits of faithfulness: a mate that's radiant, without blemish, spotless, holy, blameless, and mysterious. If you're faithful to your wife, and if she respects you as she is instructed, it doesn't sound like it can get any better!
Sportsmen's Tip of the DayWhen hunting during the rut, use the animal's natural instincts to draw them in close for a shot. Cow calls work well on many species, especially elk.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own hus-bands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the Head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church- for we are members of His body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery-but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (NIV)
Thoughts
It's approaching the fall, the time when the bull elk get absolutely stupid in their pursuit of the cows, as many cows as possible. Yes, love is in the air, and the elk hunters know it. That stupidity will cost many a bull his life!
It's interesting to watch a big bull elk with his cows. The bull keeps the cows gathered up close and watches for and fights off other bulls so they don't steal his harem. If he wins the fight, he keeps his cows. If he loses, he loses the cows and his place in the gene pool. This is nature's way for the strongest of the species to pass along his genes and to insure that the offspring will have the best chance to survive.
The bull's job is to mate with as many cows as possible and father as many calves as he can. It's this way throughout most of the animal world, the strongest males mate with as many females as possible in order to keep the strongest genetic lines going.
(Cliff S)
Action Point
OK, so how does this relate to these verses? We all know about wives being told to submit to their husbands, but read that first verse again. It says that we're all to be submissive, husbands and wives.
Now, nature teaches us that males are to mate with many females. However, in marriage a man is to be faithful to one woman. Seems to me that that's a form of submission, guys. It's a natural inclination to be promiscuous. But, God tells men to forsake all others and to be with and love one woman, your wife. God also makes the consequences of promiscuity known to us-the ruin of a marriage, damaged children, disease, maybe even the diseased death of a loved one. All tragic and preventable.
Now, reread the rest of the verses and look at the benefits of faithfulness: a mate that's radiant, without blemish, spotless, holy, blameless, and mysterious. If you're faithful to your wife, and if she respects you as she is instructed, it doesn't sound like it can get any better!
Sportsmen's Tip of the DayWhen hunting during the rut, use the animal's natural instincts to draw them in close for a shot. Cow calls work well on many species, especially elk.
