"Give Your Self to Your Marriage"

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

Ephesians 5:25 ESV

Paul teaches men to give themselves up for their wives. He use Jesus as the example of how much a man should love his wife. He should be willing to die for her both literally and figuratively. He must be willing to do what is necessary to enter into the covenant relationship of marriage and hold up his end of the agreement.

Jesus showed his love for his bride, the church by dying for her. He left all that he had known with his father, came to earth to do what was necessary to join himself to his bride.

Many men believe if they are providing financially for their wife, they are doing everything they need to, to be pleasing in God’s sight. But there is far more to it than that. God want us to give ourselves to the relationship. He wants us to be fully invested intellectually, physically, emotionally and spiritually in the marriage covenant. If we look at Jesus sacrifice for his bride, the church we will see that he was , is and always will be fully invested in his covenant with his bride.

Jesus knew intellectually that he had to die for his bride. He physically had to give himself up to be crucified for her. He was emotionally  invested when he prayed to his Father in the garden. He was spiritually committed when he accepted the cup of wrath due us, when he suffered for our sins. He followed through on all that he had to do to bless His bride with everlasting love, safety and care.

So husbands, today let’s look to Jesus for the example of what it means to establish the covenant of marriage and to maintain it. Let’s give ourselves up for our wives as Jesus gave himself up for his bride. Then we will be pleasing in God’s sight.

© 2014 leo J. Woodman