Husbands – Love your wives!

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. Even as 1 Peter 3v1-5 speaks to wives and how they should behave with their husbands, God is also concerned with how the husbands treat their wives. The Bible says:

Primary Text

“Husbands, love your wives…;” Ephesians 5v25 (KJV)

“Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives,…” Ephesians 5v25 (MSG)

I have heard it said that it is hard for men to love. And so while the woman is already tupsy turvy in love, the man may be indifferent. We see an example in the story of Jacob, Rachael and Leah. Genesis 29v18-20 (NLT) says “Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, “I’ll work for you for seven years if you’ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife.” … So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days.” Wow! Seven years of work seemed like a few days because he loved her. But when a husband does not love his wife, it is a different situation. For instance, Laban had cunningly given Rachel’s older sister Leah to Jacob on the wedding night, unknown to him. When confronted, Laban said “It’s not our custom here to marry off a younger daughter ahead of the firstborn,” …  “But wait until the bridal week is over, then we’ll give you Rachel, too – provided you promise to work another seven years for me.” Jacob, married Rachel a week later, and worked another seven years for Rachel. But “he loved her much more than Leah.” (Genesis 29v26-27, 30). So much that the Bible says “When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive.” Each of Leah’s first three children reflect the way she felt: “She named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me…. Simeon, for she said, “The LORD heard that I was unloved and has given me another son.”… Levi, for she said, “Surely this time my husband will feel affection for me, since I have given him three sons!” (Genesis 29v31-34, NLT).  The Bible thus asks that men should love their wives. Husband do you love your wife? Or is she in a “Leah” situation? Perhaps you feel betrayed by her or her family. But the Lord can help you to love her yet again, “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1v37).

Prayer

Husbands, and husbands to be, why don’t you ask the Lord for the grace to love your wives. And if there is any schism right now in your relationship, ask God for the grace to forgive and let it go in Jesus name, amen.