“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.” Ephesians 5:20-28
No marriage is perfect, but they should all be centered on the perfect Lamb of God.
I once read the following poem about the relationship between a husband and wife:
They say a wife and husband,
Bit by bit,
Can rear between themselves a mighty wall,
So thick they cannot speak with ease through it,
Nor can they see across it, it stands so tall.
Its nearness frightens them, but each alone
Is powerless to tear its bulk away; and each
Dejected wishes he had known
For such a wall, some magic thing to say.
So let us build with master art, my dear,
A bridge of love between your life and mine,
A bridge of tenderness, and very near,
A bridge of understanding, strong and fine,
Till we have formed so many lovely ties,
There never will be room for walls to rise.
Too often spousal fights, disagreements, and animosity is regarded as normal in a marriage. While there will be disagreements, a couple should never make fighting a habit. God desires that wives would submit to their husbands and husbands would love their wives.
When was the last time you sat down and told your spouse how much you love him or her? How often do you voice your thankfulness for your spouse? Some have said that communication barriers are some of the most common barriers in a marriage relationship. Rather than assuming your spouse knows of your love, God desires that you would voice your thankfulness and love.
God created the institution of marriage to be a wonderful union between man and woman, each helping the needs of the other. Yet marriage today has been degraded and misinterpreted by many in society. Marriage isn’t a light matter; God designed it to be the bonding of two souls into one.
Even if you aren’t married, you can thank God for the marriage of His Son to the (eternal) church. God calls the church His bride, the bride He is coming for. Thank God that even in times like these, we can look forward to the coming of our Father.
Are you thankful that God placed your spouse in your life? Even if your spouse isn’t always perfect or doesn’t always show you love, God desires that you would be thankful and express that thanks. Take a few minutes today to tell your spouse of your thankfulness and love. Write a note, send an email, call, or sit down together tonight and express how thankful you are that God brought you two together. Even though your marriage may not be perfect, remember that God made you for each other.