The Joy of a Husband
The world today whispers and yells to us that our pleasure, security and contentment are the cornerstones of a happy, healthy marriage. In fact, the grounds for divorce in most instances are labeled as “incompatibility” and “unable to get along”. If one carefully lifts up the labels will find that the true reason is simple selfishness.
I believe that Scripture teaches us that a marriage between a man and a woman symbolizes the “marriage” between Christ and His bride - the church. Christians should treat their marriages with that in mind. That means that even if there are problems (which there will be), even if things change and the person you married has “become a different person” you must remain married. Have we not considered that the circumstances that come into our marriages are likely there to conform us more into the image of Christ? Or are we too selfish and self-centered these days so as to think worldly and not biblically as we should?
It’s no wonder marriages are falling apart at astronomical rates in the American church considering how man centered everything else is proclaimed behind most pulpits. Our marriages are an earthly representation of our covenant relationship Christ has with His Church. Can you imagine every time we act “incompatible” or every time we do not please Christ if He would divorce us and just go after someone else?
It’s time Christians return to a Biblical and Christ-exalting understanding of marriage!
Before I was saved by my Lord my focus was self. My focus was how could I be pleased, honored and built up. In fact, this is the biblical description of every single person before regeneration. It takes the miracle of being born from above to have our hearts of stone turned to hearts of flesh and our eyes opened to the glory of God in the face of Christ to seek to serve Him and not self - in essence, to take up our cross and follow Christ. (Matt. 16:24)
I have been blessed to have the most precious wife I could ever ask for. My wife cares for me, loves me unconditionally and puts up with me on a daily basis. No, we don’t have a perfect marriage - they don’t exist. We are both sinners who are clothed in Christ’s righteousness and it is only by His grace that we are able to love one another biblically. With the thousands of reasons I could give you for the joy I have in my wife I will tell you what brings me the most ultimate joy - her growing daily into the image of Christ.
Nothing brings me more joy in my marriage than to walk past my wife at her desk at home and see her reading her Bible. Seeing her yearn for the meat of Scripture and digging deep into God’s transforming Word seeking to know Him more and more. Nothing brings me more joy in my marriage than to see my wife grow more and more into the image of Jesus Christ. Nothing brings me more joy in my marriage than to see God working mightily through my wife, a sinner who has been clothed in the perfect righteousness of Christ. This joy stems from knowing that no matter what happens in our life and marriage - come rain or sunshine, my wife is secure in the hands of Christ and her life is built on the solid Rock of Christ and His Word. I know too that no matter what happens to me, if the Lord decides to bring me home tomorrow, that God tells us that He “watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow.” (Psalm 146:9)
This is the joy of a husband - to see my wife grow daily in the grace of the Lord by serving and obeying Him and growing in Christ-likeness. May we honor our marriage always looking to the Author and Captain of our salvation.
Father, I thank you for giving me my beautiful wife and more so I thank you for saving her and transforming her daily into the image of Your precious Son.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
I stumbled on this post. I am asking for prayer for my cousin and his wife. They are both in their 50s and getting a divorce. I know they have been married for at least 30 yrs. It grieves me so badly. In essence, they are saying that this is too big for God. It makes me so sad. Thank you for speaking the truth.
Hi Christy,
Please know that prayer is lifted up for your cousin. Know that their problems are not too big for God - nothing is impossible for Him. Stay prayerful!
Jay,
I almost didn’t finish reading this particular post until I reached the paragraph that began, “With the thousands of reasons I could give you for the joy I have in my wife I will tell you what brings me the most ultimate joy - her growing daily into the image of Christ.” I was hooked…and continued to read. If ever there was a literary glimpse of deep love and true romance into your marriage, this was surely it. To love someone so deeply BECAUSE they love someone else (God) MORE is truly remarkable. As you stated, there are no perfect marriages, but there surely are perfect moments in marriages.
PS: I’ll keep C.A.’s cousin and wife in my prayers. After 41-1/2 years of marriage, I’ve learned that foregiveness and reconciliation are an on-going process.
Loading ...
Amen!
Great post Jay!