Wives submit, Husbands love...Ephesians

Read the verses here: Ephesians 5:21-33 Biblegateway.com

Ephesians 5:21-33

vs. 21-24 -- The biggest thing I pulled out of these verses wasn't that wives should submit to their husbands, but that submission is done "out of reverence for Christ".  Like my concordance says, "Submitting to another person does not mean becoming a doormat." "When we submit to God, we become more willing to obey his command to submit to others, that is, to subordinate our rights to theirs." --We submit to God first and then to others.

But even though I am not a "wives", I still believe that I can apply these verses to my life.  Submission is not just in a marriage.  Submission can be done in small ways, in other types of relationships as well.  The biggest one being submitting to Christ.  In my mind it is much much easier to submit to Christ than to another human being.  With Christ you know that he means what he says and that he's doing everything for your good...period, that's it.  His words are true and trustworthy.  And with another person, weeeell, we all have our faults. 

vs. 25-30 -- I love how in these verses that Paul compares the relationship between a husband and his wife to the relationship Christ has with the church.  How highly honored/viewed does that mean marriage is in the eyes of Christ?  Wow, that's serious stuff.

Are wives told to submit and husbands told to love because those things are difficult for each to do?

Another thing I noticed is "...cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word...".  Follow my thought process here.....God's Word cleanses us making us holy and blameless, without stain or wrinkle -- God's Word is Christ -- I need to spend time in God's Word, getting to know Christ because that is how he makes me holy and blameless, by getting to know Him through His Word.  Follow me?

vs. 31-33 -- ³¹ “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”³² This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."