Monday, 11 November 2013

A Husband’s Love


For about three weeks now I have written on Love And Submission in marriage. These are the very basic ingredients for a successful marriage and home. Any home where these two ingredients are practiced in their real sense is guaranteed peace and joy. I have written three articles sequel to this one, in case you missed any of them, here they are; Love And Submission 1, Love And Submission 2 and When Submission Is Not An Option.
In Love And Submission 1 & 2, I focused on Submission as a requirement for a wife, now I want to express my thoughts from scriptures, on the husband’s duty to love his wife according to Ephesians 5.
Love Your Wife Like Christ Loved The Church
Husbands have a huge task of loving their wives like Christ loved the Church, with a sincere, pure and constant love that remains notwithstanding her failures, shortcomings and attitude.
Christ loved the Church to death, without waiting for her to be perfect. He gave Himself up for her; for husbands this does not mean literal death but could mean death to ego, pride and all those inherent nature of man to Lord over his wife.
God has made the man the head of his home undoubtedly, but he is required to employ the tactics of a loving leader, like Christ was and still is to the Church.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her Ephesians 5:25 (AMP)
Love Your Wife To Faultlessness
Is it possible? Yes it is, when you model Christ-like love to your wife in spite of her faults, you lovingly lead her to that state of grace where she seeks to be like you. She is motivated by your love and begins to desire to love God even more because of the fruits she finds in you.
I know this so well because my husband’s love life has often provoked me to walk on my own and also work hard towards becoming a better wife to him.
There is a weight that comes with this command; Christ loved the Church and gave up Himself for her…
So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word. That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy and faultless]. Ephesians 5: 26-27 (AMP)
This makes me believe that husbands will in some way be accountable for how they loved or did not love their wives; they would be required as husbands to present their wives to God, holy and spotless. Not that they have become Christ, but they represent Christ in their marriages and have become the saviour of their wives. Ephesians 5:23 (AMP)
So men, when you love your wives, you are simply fulfilling or obeying a command from God, and following in the footsteps of the greatest husband ever; Christ Himself.
Love Your Wife Like Yourself
The Bible says you and your wife have become one flesh after you got married. God requires that you love your wife like you love yourself. Nourishing, cherishing and protecting her, the kind of love that makes her feel secure in you and the marriage. Assuring her that you are there for her like Christ has promised to never leave or forsake the Church.
Even so husbands should love their wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and carefully protects and cherishes it, as Christ does the church. Ephesians 5: 28-29 (AMP)
“Love never fails” the Bible says, when a man loves and a woman submits; the marriage is ecstasy. This series continues…
What would you add to this, how else do you think you can love your wife, how else can your husband can love you?
© Teshuva 2013

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