Chapter 3 is written specifically for wives and talks about our role. It is FULL of sound theology applied to the marriage relationship. There is so much truth in it to reflect on!
Here's one that I've been pondering ever since I read it:
"All the godly qualities in your husband find their ultimate source in God and his grace. To recognize and affirm these things is really to be alert to God's activity and to give God praise. To fail in this is to rob God of the glory genuinely due Him."
Wow! I know I should be affirming my husband. I know that it would be an encouragement to his heart and that it is a kind thing to do. But sometimes, his imperfections seem to scream at me, and I have a really hard time not focusing on them.
But the truth is: God is at work in my husband. Ross is being transformed day-by-day into Christlikeness. Often the progress is slow, almost invisible. Yet God is at work.
And if I don't see it- if I don't acknowledge it-if I don't affirm it- if I don't thank God for it: I am robbing the Creator of the universe the glory due Him!
Wow! Suddenly, affirming my husband doesn't just seem like something I ought to do- but rather something I want to do. I really want to glorify God in everything. I really want to see the ways that God is working. I really want to see the good and godly over the bad and sinful.
I'm working on affirming Ross more. Even if it's the same things each day- God's grace is faithful and I will acknowledge the faithful work He has done in my husband. We need to be affirming our husbands (and really, everybody- God is at work in ALL of his children!) privately in our homes and publicly amongst our families and churches.
We can even affirm our husbands on the Internet. Here I go!
Ross has been demonstrating stronger spiritual leadership in our home lately. He has always prayed before we eat dinner-but now we have written down specific requests for things in the church and people in our lives. He is being a great example of an intercessor. I am thankful for our dinner prayers each night.
So... how is God revealing His grace through your husband today?
I love this post! Isn't it so true that sometimes we settle and focus on the weaknesses or bad habits of our spouses or ourselves even, that we forget and fail to see the amazing godly, God-given talents and gifts that God has bestowed on our spouse. Being made in God's image, we are called to serve and care for his creation; this includes our husbands! My husband is in the military and is currently on a temporary duty assignment that separates us for about 6 weeks. He gets to experience the POW situations and 'brain lab' exercises. My husband is truly 'laying his life down' for our family- our personal home, our extended family, our Christian family, and the U.S. family. But even if he was not doing this, he daily dies to self in order to serve our family by providing a home, security, and being the head of our family. God is good.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Kamaya!
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