Some guys love their wives because they're beautiful. I happen to find my wife quite attractive. There are times I find myself just staring at her thinking, "Wow!" But I don't love her because she's beautiful. Beauty is fleeting. If she were to lose what I find beautiful about her today, it wouldn't budge my love for her one iota.
Some guys love their wives because they are "good in bed". Personally, I could not be more satisfied sexually than I am with my wife. But sexual appetites and abilities vary, and if I loved my wife for that, it would be a precarious love. I don't love her for that.
Some husbands love their wives "because of who she is". That seems more "substantial", more "balanced". But, truth be told, "who she is" can change. Ask any husband whose wife has gone through a hysterectomy or menopause. Most men are aware that even healthy young women change who they are for a brief time once a month. Then there are strokes and other health issues that might change who they are. While it seems better to love your wife for who she is, even that can be precarious. I love who my wife is, but I don't love her for who she is.
There are lots of reasons men may love their wives and I have a lot of good reasons to love my wife. I think she is beautiful. I am fully satisfied with her. We are amazingly compatible. (Being compatible with me is nothing short of a miracle.) She is a good person, and she treats me very well. There are lots of good reasons that I should love her, but I don't love her for any of those reasons. Why, then, do I love my wife? I can't say. It's not mine. I'm not the source. I love my wife for reasons beyond me or her. And I don't think I'm wrong or crazy for doing so.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; 26 that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. 28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies (Eph. 5:25-28).Christ didn't love the Church for her beauty, the satisfaction she provides, or "just for herself"; He loved the Church for Himself. Further, I don't love myself for any of those reasons; I love me just because I am. If I am to love my wife as Christ loved the Church, if I am to love my wife as I love myself, then it's nice to have lots of reasons, but none of them are the ultimate reason that I love my wife. None of them are. Ultimately that means that there is nothing she can do to alter the fact that I love my wife.
2 comments:
My dear brother Stan:
I have tears in my eyes, this is simply a beautiful love between you and your wife. I am blessed to know I have a sister in Christ who is so dearly loved by her human husband, via the love of God poured out in his heart. My father seems to love my mother in the same type of way. And it fills my heart with joy when I reflect upon it.
And I do think that these types of marriages are a small taste of Christ and His bride for us to experience, even those of us not part of the actual marriage.
Truly, we are so blessed that Christ loved us so deeply for a reason that is beyond me that He redeemed me and His Spirit within me changes me into a bride suitable (yet never worthy, which keeps me in awe of His sacrifice for me) AFTER the fact. And His love is so amazing that someday when I am face to face with Him, I will be complete and perfect as part of the bride He loves.
May our precious Lord pour out a sweet blessing upon you and your wife as you continue to serve Him according to His purpose!!!
Blessings to both of you, Julianne
This is the kind of love I know. I experience it from God. Most humans never get the chance to experience this kind of love from another human... it is unconditional.
God gave me a job to do, to show one human unconditional love. That is the absolute hardest thing to do.
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