Daily Devotional (September 23, 2024) LOVE YOUR WIVES EVEN AS CHRIST LOVES THE CHURCH.
Scripture Reference: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for Her; That He might sanctify and cleanse Her with the washing of water by the Word, That He might present Her to Himself a Glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that She should be Holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church." Ephesians 5:25-29 (KJV)
When the Holy Bible said that husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the Church, it means that they should emulate the Spirit of Sacrifice and self abandonment that Christ manifested in His Relationship with the Church i.e., His Body. The Church is the Bride of Christ. Even in some cultures worldwide, there is a price that a man is supposed to pay before he is given a bride. We call it the Bride price. Christ paid His Own Bride Price for His Own Bride, the Church, with His Own Life. He shed His Own Blood for her (Acts 20:28b).
For a husband to love his wife as Christ loved the Church means he ought to be willing to pay the ultimate price for her, if need be. He ought to be willing to lay down his life for her if the chips are down. Every other thing husbands do for their wives ought to emanate from this attitude. The Holy Scriptures say that Christ Jesus laid His Life down for the Church to purchase Her so that He could sanctify Her with His Word and then present Her to Himself a Glorious Church not have spot or wrinkle. So herein do we see the process involved in getting the bride of your dreams: First is the Sacrifice, then the Sanctification and lastly the Presentation.
This is where most husbands miss it. To get the wife of your dreams is not an event but rather a process. The first step involves a willingness to sacrifice. A Sacrificial lifestyle is the Foundation for a Glorious Marriage. The Sacrifice doesn't end with the things you do to get your bride but also manifests in actively engaging in the process of the Sanctification and Transformationtransformation of your bride. This is done by patiently exposing her to God's Word (2Tim. 3:16). Not through aggression, shouting, or abuse, which some husbands are tempted to resort to. If a husband patiently goes through this Three Stage Process, then he can present to himself a wife of his dreams. Let's learn from Christ and become the type of husbands that God wants us to be.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we pray that You grant us the Grace to receive the Understanding that You want us to have as husbands and wives based on Your Word and live accordingly. We come against every seed of bitterness and malice, and we receive the Spirit of Love and Forgiveness for every one of our Marriages in Jesus' Mighty Name. Amen.
