Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. Proverbs 5:18 (NLT)
Marriage is not just a social institution; it’s a divine gift from God. It’s a bond meant to be cherished and enjoyed between one man and one woman for one lifetime, not simply endured. I understand that many of you may be going through a tough phase in your marriage, but I urge you to look at your marriage with faith and hope in God. Don’t let the challenges overshadow the divine purpose of your union.
It’s true; we are witnessing a major cultural shift attempting to redefine and re-engineer marriage. That’s not new or novel. The evil one hates marriage, and the strong picture is of the mysterious relationship between Jesus and His church. Thankfully, it stands strong as God created a way for love to be enjoyed between a man and a woman brought together by Him. Marriage is not going away; as we’ve seen throughout history, its permanence among many tries to minimize and eliminate it. Don’t get caught up in the political hype. Shine the light brightly, and darkness dispels.
Divorce and discouragement are much too common in marriages today. The pastoral load of counseling and ministering to broken lives has dramatically increased in the last few years. We are seeing more hard-hearted husbands angry and frustrated at their wives. We are seeing more hard-hearted wives hurt and crushed by their husbands. As a resort, the kids are left to the world system for their models to follow, left vulnerable by their warring, self-centered parents. The next generation hangs in the balance by, among other things, the condition of godly marriages. No godliness in the home leads to lawlessness in the streets.
Husbands love their wives as Christ loves the church. Submit to God’s will for your success. Wives submit to their husbands as unto the Lord. Love the God that loves you. Marriages remember your vows and keep your commitments. You promised to love and cherish one another in sickness (even life-altering) and health in riches or poorer (tough times come to us all). Choose to enjoy. Choose to rejoice. Act daily on those choices.
Husbands, Solomon gave us a little reminder, a command actually to let your wives be a fountain of blessing to you. You’re having difficulty doing that right now and must submit prayerfully to this command. Let her be a blessing to you. Be on the lookout for her blessings in your life and celebrate them, accept them, and enjoy them. Then, rejoice with her over what has blessed you through her life. Wash your wives with the water of the word. Shower her with encouragement. Uplift her with words of affirmation.
God honors His word and obeys Him today.
What are your thoughts on this? Your experiences and insights can be a source of encouragement for others. Please feel free to share your comments and be a part of this supportive community.
