Friday, June 10, 2011

Husbands, Love Your Wives (Part 2)

Husbands, love your wives, image courtesy of

…I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.1

A husband cannot give his wife security if his focus is not on pleasing the Father in his life. A husband must be a type of Christ to his wife:
  1. Christ is our Intercessor/husband is wife's Peacemaker
  2. Christ is our Advocate/husband is wife's Supporter
  3. Christ is our Substitution/husband is wife's Cover
  4. Christ is our Resurrection/husband is wife's Renewal
These four undertakings all maintain balance in the spirit, soul, and body of a wife. When a wife is secure, she is free to trust her husband in all things; she knows by the life he lives that he is pleasing the Father and consequently loving her. A husband intent on pleasing the Father surrounds his wife with a life that is spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, and physically balanced and secure. She freely releases her trust to a husband that is the head of her life; she understands the futility of trying to exist without him. Just as we cannot breathe without air, a wife cannot function in a marriage without being secure.

A wife needs to be valued:

What is value?

To acknowledge that someone has worth, importance, and significance. To be valued is to be prized above all else, it is cherishing someone for who they are. To value one’s wife is to treasure the life she lives.

The bible reveals that we were redeemed, purchased, or bought through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. Salvation did not come cheaply; while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8, NASB). Ask any woman how she feels about Jesus Christ and you will be hard pressed to find one who disparages His name. What would any woman do with a true understanding of Jesus Christ? A woman who has a relationship with Christ will freely acknowledge her love and desire to please the Lord. This is because she knows Christ died for her. That’s being valued! That woman understands the depth of value Christ has placed on her life. A wife needs to know that in her husband’s eyes, she is a precious and priceless gift from God. A wife must be valued to the extent that her husband has freely chosen to lay down his life for her. His life of selfish personal agendas has been nailed on the cross and crucified for her.

Something which has left me with a lingering question is what was Adam's mindset in the garden? Adam fully understood God's command not to eat from the tree (Genesis 2:16, NASB), and yet he was faced with a dilemma. Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and in that moment, she died. She gave the fruit to Adam (Genesis 3:6, NASB), and he chose to eat; Adam was not deceived (1 Timothy 2:14, NASB) Adam chose disobedience and death (Romans 5:12, NASB) with Eve rather than life without her. It's an ironic perversion of the sacrificial death, because Adam's decision to die was a death that leads to death. The sacrificial death of Christ is a death that leads to life. Two men (Adam and Christ) both chose to die, and yet only one death accomplished its purpose: to usher in new life for the bride. Now we see that husbands are called to die a sacrificial death that leads to life for his bride.

What would any wife be willing to do for a husband like that?

That wife would freely acknowledge her love and desire to please her husband. This is because his life demonstrates that he has chosen to die for her; to freely give up his old life for the precious gift she is. When a husband gives up his life for his wife, he places a value on her that is priceless. When a wife is valued beyond cost, she willingly commits herself to be the subject of her husband; she wants to be his!

So many women are robbed of their worth. Why do so many men become participants in this act of sabotage? How can there be any encouragement when a woman is debased, humiliated, or regarded as worthless? For a wife to truly fulfill her purpose, a husband must value her.

A wife needs to be respected:

What is respect?

Respect is the act of giving appreciation, fondness, preference, honor, interest, and delight in someone. Respect exhibits joy, passion, enthusiasm, and affection. The bible says that Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well everything she ever did (John 4:29, NASB). He was specifically interested in her life to the extent that He knew all aspects of her life; who she was, what was her purpose, and why she came to Him. A husband must have that kind of interest in his wife; he must be intimately acquainted with all aspects of her life. A wife wants her husband to know:
  1. Who she is (she wants her husband to simplyGet her”)
  2. What her God-given purpose is (she wants her husband to support her purpose)
  3. Why she uniquely chose him (she wants her husband to appreciate her)
A husband’s love will be demonstrated through his respect for his wife. It is here that he reaches the depth of her spirit, soul and body; she has become bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. They are one.

What does a wife mean when she says (about her husband), "He gets me."

A husband must understand his wife; this understanding comes through respect. If you’re having problems in your relationship with your wife, you haven’t mastered the discipline of respect. Are you committed to experiencing joy, passion, enthusiasm, and affection for the woman you married? Have you walked through those valleys of life recognizing she is your helper? Have you gained an appreciation, fondness, and preference for your wife? Do you honor her with interest and delight? In order to love your wife as Christ loves the church, you must give her the respect she needs.

Heavenly Father,

You've demnonstrated for us what love is. The bible declares "See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us". You lavish us with Your love O Lord. It wasn't enough to command husbands to love their wife, You gave us the example of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ who declared, "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you....", so let us live our lives as clean, holy, husbands and wives, as singles, as parents, as children, as relatives and as friends. Today Father, let us choose, not as Adam, but as Christ, and sons adopted by You. Let us choose to glorify You in our life. May You be pleased by all that I think, say, and do. Please encourage those husbands and wives struggling to understand their true purpose in marriage. Give them clarity of sight and a heart committed to love. In the name above all names, Jesus Christ. Amen.



Note: This post is linked to Spiritual Sundays (hosted by Charlotte and Ginger).Spiritual Sunday's

Footnote:
  1. John 8:29, NASB


References:
  1. Unger's Bible Dictionary, By Merrill F. Unger, Moody Press, Chicago
  2. The Ryrie Study Bible (New American Standard Version), Edited by Charles C. Ryrie, Moody Publishers, Chicago, Illinois, ISBN 0-8024-8920-6
  3. The Amplified Bible, by The Lockman Foundation, Zondervan Bible Publishers, Grand Rapids, Michigan, ISBN-13: 978-0310951414
  4. King James Version, The Crusade Analytical Study Edition, Crusade Bible Publishers, Inc., PO Box 90011, Nashville, Tennessee 37209
  5. The NIV Study Bible, Edited by Kenneth Barker, Donald Burdick, John Stek, Walter Wessel and Ronald Youngblood, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530, USA
  6. The New Living Translation Bible, by Tyndale Charitable Trust, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois, ISBN-13: 978-0842384896
  7. Matthew Henry's Commentary, McDonald Publishing Company, McLean, Virginia 22101, ISBN 0-917006-21-6

10 comments:

Joan Hall said...

I appreciate this series of posts on husbands and wives. I can tell you have put a great deal of thought, prayer, and study into this subject. I pray that many are encouraged by readin them.

Blessings,
Joan

dunlizzie said...

Well this is so good, so clearly presented I barely know what to say. So I'll simply agree.

"so let us live our lives as clean, holy, husbands and wives, as singles, as parents, as children, as relatives and as friends. Today Father, let us choose, not as Adam, but as Christ, and sons adopted by You. Let us choose to glorify You in our life."

Amen indeed. -- dunlizzie :)

Charlotte said...

How much better our world would be if all husbands followed the example of Christ being willing to die for His bride. Thank you for sharing another great post on this subject.
Blessings,
Charlotte

Lisa notes... said...

I'm saying a prayer of thanks right now for my own sweet husband who does value and respect me. I am very blessed. Thanks for sharing this.

Ginger~~Enchanting Cottage said...

I pray that more couples would put the Lord first in their marriage.Both couples need to respect each other. Thank-you for this post today.You always choose such great subjects to post about.
God Bless,
Ginger

Patti Hanan said...

This is such a beautiful post. Thank you for the exhortation for both husbands and wives to have a God centered marriage. Your words have blessed me, and I am sure many others.

Virginia said...

Thank you for all the wonderful posts, very meaningful....
It is wonderful to see how God has been using you.
Blessings :)

Pamela said...

I'm appreciating all these posts on marriage. I never thought of the respect factor being so important for the wife. I know I'd have to respect anyone I was married to but never thought about the idea that RB respects me, too. Great point.

Blessings,
Pamela

Sharon said...

You're exploring such good subject matter - we all need to hear and learn more about the unique relationship of marriage.

Ah yes, respect - I couldn't agree more that it is vital within a marriage. I value the respect my husband gives me - it gives me a sense of validation and value. And yes, it is a crucial ingredient in understanding. It's so important to me that my husband "gets" me - and that begins with his commitment to listening to my opinions and feelings without judgment.

Loved your prayer.

GOD BLESS!

Jeremy Strang said...

Thank you for posting this. You asked a very good question on this blog! I would love to offer your readers a free link to my new book, "Christ Died For His Bride, So What's Your Problem?". You share this link with all if you wish.

http://books.google.com/books?id=wyH2lGcOOagC&pg=PA8&lpg=PA8&dq=christ+died+for+his+bride+so+what's+your+problem+jeremy+strang&source=bl&ots=-dGfm2WRm_&sig=W1pqY-UlRAEOZKnT2Atpm9XAsZQ&hl=en&ei=UqIkTvn_BoilsQKeu6S3Aw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAjgK#v=onepage&q=christ%20died%20for%20his%20bride%20so%20what's%20your%20problem%20jeremy%20strang&f=false

God bless,

Jeremy Strang