a relationship with God , does He ever stop loving you , divorce from your love ? Why is it different when you are in a marital relationship ? Once two people get married , their life changes from two people living their lives , to a couple living a life . Their life becomes about sacrifice for each other , service and effort . It ’ s easy when you look at it practically . Do I provide for my spouse ? Do I show love and affection ? Do I physically meet the demands of my home in service and faith ? Do I provide spiritual welfare ? It ’ s not entirely laid out for us , is it . How about the question , do I bring home my paycheck and give you money to spend ? Do I buy you presents on special occasions and flowers and candy on Valentine ’ s Day ? After all , we have grown into this commercial world of objectivity . Is this what God asked of us ? Let ’ s take another look here ~
Ephesians 5:25-33 Husbands , love your wives [ same thing as he said there in Colossians 3 ], just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her , that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word [ remember we saw a great deal in the Old Testament about cleansing and washing — the same thing comes now into the New Testament ], that He might present her to Himself a glorious church , not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing , but that she should be holy and without blemish . [ Now we saw that in II Corinthians 11 , and Revelation 19 ] So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies ; he who loves his wife loves himself . For no one ever hated his own flesh , but nourishes and cherishes it , just as the Lord does the church . For we are members of His body , of His flesh and of His bones . For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife , and the two shall become one flesh .” This is a great mystery , but I speak concerning Christ and the church . Nevertheless [ howbeit even though there is this great mystery about Christ and the church , he says ,] let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself , and let the wife see that she respects her husband .
It doesn ’ t seem like there were any financial demands in Ephesians , but I did read about sacrifices . Living sacrifices from each other for a lifetime . If you ever wanted to win a lifetime achievement award , service , and sacrifice for the Lord is the area you would want to achieve in recognition . The only way to reach that goal is through day-by-day attainment , and it is given by the way we treat each other . If you choose a spouse , this is the person who gives you that reward . An unpleasant marriage is a sure sign of strife , and it affects us not just in eye-rolling and rude comments between one another , but it takes away your peace . Your whole walk with God is affected by this growing conflict that stays unresolved . Couples should strive to live daily in peace with each other . Problems don ’ t go away and sweeping them under the rug is a certain way to have an occurrence become a reoccurrence .
What if it is just your spouse ?
Some people have bad things happen in life , and after a few of these occurrences , they may get jaded in other areas . You ’ ve heard how God wants husbands to treat their wives like a queen ? Then you have also heard people talk about how their wives just nag them all the time . Sometimes these people will say they just need some peace and quiet , right ? Let ’ s roam a bit ~
Romans 12:18 If it be possible , as much as lieth in you , live peaceably with all men .
Let me add it for you - and women too . People say the happiest couples are the ones who spend time talking and listening to each other . I have worked with men and women who have both said the key to their successful marriage is they are more than just husband and wife they are each other ’ s best friend . I also noticed these men and women as a couple express a strong Christian love to and for each other . Respect is imperative in successful relationships , and couples find value in recognizing the needs of their partner . It ’ s not a matter of guessing what he or she wants or needs , it ’ s communication . A husband who listens to his wife will realize her happiness in the marriage is just as important as her overall happiness in everything she does . She needs to be able to share her thoughts , her feelings , her worries , and her needs . If a woman begins to feel unwanted , she will withdraw in a relationship to allow her husband to realize the little things that are missing . He then wants to have those things back . It ’ s kind of like people say about their job , no