Husbands and Wives

A friend of mine had a wedding anniversary January 11. She remembered the wedding by posting photos of the man she loved all 35 years of their marriage, but who left her alone in this world as he moved on to the next. They not only believed but lived the promise “Till death do us part”, and it did.

The Bible has a lot to say about marriage. God set the example in Eden, and Jesus confirmed it during a discussion of divorce:

The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. (Matthew 19:3-6 KJV)

So what about divorce? Aren’t there specific laws in Leviticus? The Pharisees were very familiar with the verses:

They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. (Matthew 19:7-8 KJV)

Mankind has the choice – accept the hardness of their hearts and do as they please, or adhere to God’s original plan. It was, and still is, easier to accept the concept of divorce than to adhere to God’s design – in marriage as in every other area of our lives. When a couple does stay married, and remain in love with one another, they are considered an anomaly. Statistics today indicate marriage is optional.

Yet our instructions are pretty explicit. There are many, but my favorite is:

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Ephesians 5:19-25 KJV)

A couple making melody in their hearts to the Lord will not find arguments comfortable. A couple giving thanks, always, for all things, will not be looking beyond their Lord for their future and happiness.

Political correctness does not like “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord” because they teach women to be true only to themselves. Yet, when a husband loves his wife as much as Christ loved the church, she gets the best of marriage.

That’s one reason I work toward being a Titus 2:3 aged woman, teaching this same lesson of loving ones husband, pointing to beautiful examples – such as my friend.