Loving Your Wife

God designed a way in which you should relate to your family – your wife and children. Yes, you are the head of our family as created by God. But your headship should be practiced according to the pattern laid down by God, who assigned you to the position.

The Bible says (Ephesians 6: 25 – 27) that a man should love his wife as Christ loved the church. How does Christ demonstrate his love for his church? Firstly, He laid down his life for the church. He gave up his personal glory to die for her. Very rarely would any one of you be asked to lay down your life for your wife. But often, you are asked to sacrifice some of the things that are of personal gratification. If you love your wife like Christ loved the church, then you ought to be willing to make sacrifices for your wife. Some of you need to die to the baseball game, your job, or even some for your friends, for your wife’s sake. That is the example of love Christ set for the church.

Jesus cleansed and washed the church to make her holy. Brothers, you need to clean and cleanse your own wives to make them holy. How did Jesus wash us? By the Word. The first responsibility of any man is to know the Word of God – to make it a part of your own thinking and lifestyle so you can wash your wife when she becomes spotted with the worries of everyday life, with household expenses, children, and in-laws relationship. You are to encourage her with the Word, lift her spirit with the counsel of God. Your responsibility is to always keep an eye out for spots, doubts in your wife’s life (not the physical spots), and wash them and iron them out.

Just one other reminder, even though you are the head of the house, you cannot demand your wife’s submission. Submission means giving up one’s will voluntarily to another. Remember, the Bible tells her to submit to you as unto the Lord. So if you do not give your life for her and wash her and cleanse her with the Word, then do not be surprised if she does not submit. You are the leader; the onus is on you to give direction according to the Word of God.