Husbands,go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for thechurch-a love marked by giving, not getting.Ephesians 5:25-26 MSG
Forhusbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved thechurch. He gave up his life for her
tomake her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. Hedid this to present her to himself as a glorious church without aspot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy andwithout fault. Inthe same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love theirown bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love forhimself. Noone hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christcares for the church.Ephesians 5:25-29 NLTSounds easy enough, right? Justlove your wife! On the face of it, it should bea given, a no-brainer. We shouldn't even have to work at it. Butthere is a reason that this command is one of few that specificallyaddresses how husbands are to interact with their wives. If it wereeasy God would not have been compelled to put it in the biblefor men to read. If it were easy everybody would be doing it. Theunfortunate truth is that the lack of men actually loving there wivesis what is breaking the back of society today. Breaking the heart of God.What does it mean to put lovingour wives into practice?How did Christ love the church?
Logically and practicallyspeaking, Jesus Christ literally died for her.He gave up his life for her, tomake her holy and clean.We are fortunate enough to beable to use His sacrifice as an example rather than a literalcommand. We are called to deny ourselves so that she can bemade right. Regardless of what is deserved, regardless of what shehas said to you today, regardless of what she has not done for youlately, regardless of how you feel about denying yourself.
Whatis love?
Loveis patient, love is kind.
Love does not envy, is not boastful, isnot conceited,doesnot act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked,
and does notkeep a record of wrongs.Lovefinds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.Itbears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, enduresall things.Lovenever ends.1Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is not a checked box onyour list of rewards.Love is not something to beheld hostage.Love is not a tool.Love is a fruit of the Spirit!The Spirit being the HolySpirit of God and the fruit being the reward there of.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Against such things there is no law.
Galatians5:22-23
It is not a sin tostruggle with this but to not seek God's help is the beginning ofdecay.The truth is I amno expert on loving my wife day to day.The unfortunatetruth is it is a major struggle for me.Fortunately Godhas superseded my ineptness for the greater good of my marriage.I have prayedrelentlessly that God help me with this.God has, over time, transformed my heart and attitude toward my wife.I no longer see avillain or adversary walking into the room but the woman God haschosen for me to spend my life with.Raise my childrenwith.The woman I lovewith all my heart.The way Jesus hasshown me love.I have proven timeand time again to myself, my wife and my God that I am incapable ofdoing this marriage thing without Him.Him being Jesus.
