GOD, MY SPOUSE AND I. (PART 1)
The Holy Writ echoes it throughout its pages and more clearly in 1John 4:8 that ''God is love.'' Marriage and love are two things that couldn't have existed without the Creator. He is love. And so for a couple to thrive, He is needed. It's a simple triangle that places Him as Head. In this discourse, we are going to look at the man-figure in his relationship with God and how this relationship translates itself with his wife.
Man was never created to be ostracised that is why he is described as a social animal. For him to grow, he must come in contact with people that will build him. Relationships! It's all about relationships. Take your mind back to the Decalogue and you must have realised that the Ten Commandments speak about relationships! The first four commands between man and God while the remaining six to make up ten have to do with relationship with ourselves.
Throughout history God has always sought friendship with man first in Creation and now through Redemption. We are told that God walked ''in the garden in the cool of the day (Gen 3:8).'' Before man's fall, there was a strong camaraderie between him and the Creator, nonstop. Even after the fall, God made provision for this relationship to thrive by making a promise. In fact, the promise as in Genesis 3:15 which is fulfilled through His Son. Jesus, His Son calls those who keep His commandment His friends. Moreover, He then died and took upon Himself our wrongs to make us right before God. Making us belong twice to God through Creation and Redemption. You probably might be wondering where I’m going with all these. Wait for it. Now because of His death and resurrection we have access into the very presence of God to move unto perfection of our character. We can meet Him anew and have Him. Remember that we discovered earlier that He is love. We must and should have Him. This can only be by going through His Son; the Way, the Truth and the Life. Over time as we continue "beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transferred into the same image from glory to glory....'' It is this relationship with God that perfects every other. A popular saying goes that you can never give what you don't have. You can't show love to your spouse if you do not possess it. It is by going back to the Creator to fill you with His consuming love which becomes natural not something you struggle with. There are so many other factors to a thriving relationship but love is principal.
As Adam scanned the gardens naming each animal He finds that each of them have their partners then I believe the LORD read his heart long before his thoughts emerged saying ''it is not good that man should be alone; I will make a helper comparable to him( Gen 2:18).'' Another translation says complementary to him. Then, according to history, the first surgery was performed with Adam in a deep sleep. Eve was carved out and formed from his body. Now read carefully what happens afterwards. Adam awakes from his sleep to see the beautiful first woman ever and out of joy he cries out in verse 23 of Genesis chapter 2: ''this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of man.''
What a word! ''Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh'', she is the completion of Adam. This brings home the point, men, that we ought to treat our wives well for they are part of us. To do them harm is to harm ourselves. She is to be cherished like our own body. Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians makes it clearer in Ephesians 5:25-33. I shall be citing few verses. In this particular Bible chapter, the writer explains love between a man and his wife as between Christ and the church that husbands should love their wives ''just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.... (Eph 5:25)'' We must be totally committed to our spouses. He goes further to say in verses 28, 29 and 33 that '' 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.''
Verse 33: ''nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself and let the wife see that she respects her husband.''
Reader, you must have realised by now the importance of both parties so live it out to the fullest. Simple formula for this perfect love is you to God then lavish that love on your spouse.
Ladies, you want to know more about your importance too? Check out the next part of this piece under the same title. Guys, go for it too and understand your wives better!!
Love requires work – not just attraction or feelings, Pope Francis tells couples.
(All scriptural passages are from the New King James)
Article Contributor: Onuoha Pablo
