Saying I am thankful for my husband seems trite! It is so easy to say words, but sometimes hard to express what is in the depths of our hearts. We tend to want to thank individuals for who they are and what they mean to us, as well as we should, but I want to thank God for the husband He gave me. It is only by following God’s design that any of us can be what He wants us to be. It is only then that God gets the glory for what He has afforded us. I am thankful that God gave me a husband that loves Him and by His grace lives a life that is honoring to Him.
I’m sure there are many women that are thankful for their husbands. It may be because they are kind, forgiving, generous, or because they are a good provider. Those things are important to all of us, but I want to take the word of God and see what God intended for a husband to be.
One of the first admonitions from God to the husband is in Ephesians 5:25. Paul writes that the husband is to love the wife as Christ loved the church. When he writes this it is an initiating giving love. It doesn’t wait to be told but seeks to show love in various ways. Previous to this verse are several verses that speak of the family. In verse 21 he speaks to all Christians that we are to be submissive to one another. He immediately turns to the wife in verse 22. Ladies we are singled out to submit to our husbands because God placed him as our head just as Christ is the head of the church. Most women like to skip over that part, and I’ll admit as a young bride I felt that way because I didn’t understand it and I wanted to focus more on “husbands love your wife as Christ loved the church.” I’ve spoken with many women who say they would be submissive if their husbands loved them this way. While this is not a lesson on the roles of husbands and wives, we must always remember we are to live according to what God has commanded even if our spouses don’t. It boils down to how much we love God. John 14:15 boldly proclaims “if we love Him we will keep His commandments.”
Christ showed the church, the bride of Christ, how much He loved us by laying down His life for us. This speaks of a love that is sacrificial. A godly husband will sacrifice for his wife and his family. This sacrifice will include time, money, and physical effort. It will also include spending time with God in the study of His word so he can be what God wants him to be, and praying so that the relationship is honoring to God. It will mean a sacrifice of pleasures until all the needs are met. He understands that the worldly pleasures that most desire to fulfill don’t compare to the joys of a marriage that honors Christ.
Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”
The husband is to honor the wife. In I Peter 3:7, Peter instructs the husband to dwell according to knowledge that they gain in scripture. This knowledge should guide and control the husband in the treatment of their wife. Ignorance should not be an excuse to live violating God’s word. They are to honor the wife with a show of respect. He is to care for her as the weaker vessel. Physically we are different, and God designed a man’s muscles to grow and respond differently than what He designed for women. He is to protect her both physically and emotionally when danger is present. This weaker vessel also is designed to bring children into the world and the husband should honor her for the ability and design God has given her. He is to treat her as an equal heir of the grace of life. He is to honor her and treat her in such a way that would express his undying love. To value her opinion and seek the Lord with her on matters of the family. To do otherwise or have anything between them would hinder his prayers. This alone should cause a man to want to keep a sweet loving spirit between him and his wife.
I Peter 3:7 “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”
A godly man provides for his wife both with material things, and her physical and emotional needs. He uses the tongue to build her up not tare her down. His love is pure as he seeks to honor the one God gave him. He is committed until death to her. He does not treat her as a servant, but as the daughter of the King! I could go on and on and give scripture references for each one, but space nor time permits me to write about all of them. However, I am very thankful that God continues to mold my husband and me to be what He wants us to be. I am thankful that He placed me on this journey with the one who can help me to be more like Jesus. If you are a husband reading this, make sure you honor God by following His directions for being a godly husband. If you do, you will be amazed at the difference it will make in your life and those around you. Most of all you will be honoring the God who gave His Son for your redemption. He is worthy!
