Today’s devotion is for husbands and wives, and those aspiring to marriage. The text talks about the love of the husband for his wife and the love of the wife for her husband. First, we are admonished by Paul to submit to one another, which means to have a humbling respect for your spouse (gender isn’t specified in verse 21, so this applies to both wife and husband). Where there is love, there isn’t pride, arrogance, demeaning attitudes towards one another. Then Paul continues to say to the wife, you must “submit” to your husband as the church submits to Christ. Practically speaking, as a wife you respect your husband and trust his guidance. The husband is to be the priest, shepherd, protector and provider of the household. A woman feels more secure following the lead of a man who is seeking and being lead by God. In turn, she will happily submit to her husband when he provides this sort of stability for her/their family.
Next, Paul speaks to the husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church. How does Christ love the church? Sacrificially, He gave His life for us (John 3:16). Unconditionally, even though we were spiritually disgusting to Him, He still loved us and died for us (Romans 5:8, John 15:13). Lastly, full of forgiveness. Christ forgives us for our offenses to Him time and time again – this is the love the husband is to have for his wife. Paul even goes so far as to exhort men to love their wives as their own bodies because if a man loves himself, he takes care of himself. Therefore, if he loves his wife as he does himself, he’ll likely take care of her too. Yes, I know, we’re human beings so our level of tolerance isn’t like that of God’s, but according to His Word this is what He desires of our relationships. Godly relationships, that is.
In the NLT version of the Bible this passage in Ephesians 5 is titled, “Spirit-Guided Relationships: Wives and Husbands”. What I love about this title is that when you see any relationship following these instructions, you know the two people are filled with the Holy Spirit and being led by the Holy Spirit. If any so-called “godly” relationship doesn’t meet these standards, then the relationship isn’t glorifying God.
Dear Father, I desire for my marriage to be glorifying to You. May You be involved in every detail of our lives. You are the definition of love and I desire to emulate You in the way that I love. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!
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