I have been looking over some of the forum posts and all. I don't post much unless I think what I have to say is purposeful. So the purpose of this topic is to share a bit of insight that I realized a couple years ago, and see what you ladies think on the matter.
The Bible says a man is to love his wife even as Christ loves the church. Well I have read that verse about a dozen times before, when it dawned on me to REALLY think about its implication.
The church is the bride of Christ, and so, even though we brothers in Christ are men, we have that bridal role in relation to Christ as we are part of the church.
So I thought about what Christ desires from us as part of His bride.
He wants us to love Him.
He wants us to trust Him.
He wants to be our Protector, our Safe Place.
He wants us to allow Him to provide for us.
He wants our faithfulness to Him alone.
He wants us to want to pray and talk to Him.
He desires that we learn to have a mind like His.
He wants us to speak well of Him to others.
He wants us to respect Him, and He definitely deserves it.
He wants us to come to Him for help, with the big things as well as the little things.
His heart is moved by our tears; in fact the Bible says God records every one of our tears in a book.
I cannot speak for all men but I believe most christian men would have those desires. I sure do.
So lets switch our angle of view and take another look, but from a husband/wife point of view.
I would want her to love me.
I would want her to trust me.
I want to be her protector, her safe place.
I want her to allow me to provide for her.
I want her faithfulness to me.
I want her to want to talk to me.
I desire that her and I would grow to be like-minded.
I want her to speak well of me to others.
I want her to respect me, although I wouldn't always deserve it.
I want her to come to me for help, with the big things (issues in life) as well as the little things (doing stuff for her).
And lastly, any man's heart ought to be moved by the tears of his wife. If it ain't, somethin's wrong.
As you can see, this is a short list, but I'm sure you all can think of a lot more examples to post if you ponder it.
Well, That's my 2 cents worth. Hope it was a blessing.
Just would like to say I am very impressed that a young man of your age seems to be so mature in Christ.
I was thinking of this recently myself. I think mates can become idols to us. God is a jealous God, he wants our love and worship to him first. I think when we are in a relationship with another person we tend to take our focus off of pleasing God and want to please that person, which is only normal.
Father, God please bring the right lady in to this young man's life according to your plan, purpose and time in Jesus name. Amen
Even as Christ loved the church....He died just for us to get saved....the love He showed can't be measured!!!....can men love their wives in equal measure as Christ did the church???
That is a good question, and Shalom, you're correct. A man is literally called to love his wife in the way that Christ has loved the church.
How many times has the church turned away from Christ? Has the church always been faithful? No, it has not.
Therefore, a man is to lay down his self life inwardly and outwardly by taking up his cross and crucifying his flesh, so that Christ would be enabled to love his wife through him.
"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13 - And a man's wife is certainly his friend. :winksmile:
More often than not, men and women want to be seen, loved and desired by another while all the while they fail to see, love and desire Christ the way they themselves want to be treated.
The most immediate person we end up NOT treating the way we would want to be treated...is Christ.
And we treat God in this way, while asking Him to provide for us a suitable helper. lol
While desiring a husband or wife, we should be asking ourselves the question / examining ourselves "what kind of "lover" to God have we been?"
It just might be the case that we would NOT want God to provide someone for us, that will treat us the way we've treated Him...
Sometimes our prayers are like Lord...I want a spouse that is this and that and the other thing, and I know I am not those things to you, but I want you to provide them for me in another.
Then we wonder......Why hasn't God answered my prayer?
"Then we wonder......Why hasn't God answered my prayer?"
I hated to say that to everyone....but then you said it anyways ;)
And its the truth!
"Why hasn't God answered my prayer?"
Because in the above scenario, if God did answer someone's prayer, HE realizes He'd be harming them.
If someone's not giving God the glory, love and respect HE's due while they're single, then its highly unlikely they're going to give it to Him if HE gives them a spouse.
I mean why would God "enable" someone to take their eyes off HIM even further?
Not to mention, God knowing fully well, that apart from someone's heart being genuinely sold out for Him FIRST, a person will only "use" another person in the name of love.
The implied opposite of "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" is that apart from Christ 1ST in someone's life, a person can do absolutely nothing, ESPECIALLY when it comes to correctly desiring or loving another person...
