If you are a Christian husband, your job is like no other. You have many responsibilities: righteous man, father, lover, provider, protector, leader, coach, mechanic, handyman…and the list goes on and on.
It is extremely hard. And nobody wants to hear any excuses when you fall short.
Unfortunately, I found this out the hard way. Luckily, you don’t have to share in my pain. This series of articles will tell you what God expects from you when it comes to your relationship with your wife (even when she is not acting like a Christian wife).
Ephesians 5:25-30 (NIV) says:
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church - for we are members of his body.”
Did You Know?
There are actually 3 different Greek words for “love” : Eros, Philia, and Agape
Eros is love that is associated with passion and romance, like the kind of love you find in a man/woman relationship. Philia refers to the type of love you would have for a friend. Agape is unconditional and self-sacrificing love.
And that’s what God expects from us.
AGAPE.
The best example of it is none other than our Lord and Savor, Jesus Christ. He sacrificed his life for us.
The Bible refers to the church as “the bride of Christ.” We are his wife. Study the way he treats us and how much he sacrificed for our benefit.
Then you will start to truly understand God’s expectations of us. Compare dealing with your wife’s attitude or mood swings with being flogged, spat on, beaten, mocked, and crucified.
Which do you think is easier to endure?
As a fellow Christian husband, I understand your pain and frustration. God’s expectations of us are extremely high. And they greatly outnumber the expectations He has for our wives. But be encouraged. He will never put more weight on you than you can handle. And he must think that you’re pretty awesome to drop such a huge responsibility on your shoulders. Pray for his strength and guidance as you strive to be the husband he wants you to be.