25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” (Ephesians 5)
Yesterday I posted the one sentence statement by Paul to the Colossians: 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. This is the more detailed version. Paul had his reasons for writing more in this letter, but there is one we need to consider today: Most of us guys need the longer version because we just don't do it well. We need remedial husbandry; we need it 'splained to us; we need a word picture. Here's our job: make them spiritually beautiful; pour out our love on them so abundantly that they bathe in our love for them; care for them so much that they don't develop wrinkles (or at least that they don't show much or really matter). Love her so much you feel alive. Give and give and give not till you have no more to give, but so it flows so freely that it won't shut off. Sacrifice for her. Stick with and to her. Sanctify her.
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