DEVOTION
02/03/06
(Comments in parentheses and emphasis are mine)

FIRST THOUGHTS:

Let me first describe most households:

- “Honey, I’m home!” (snap fingers) “Is dinner ready yet? No?! Then how ‘bout you grab me a beer then, sweetie, until it is.”

- “I am the king of this house and I can do whatever I want! She just doesn’t understand … I take orders all day long, so when I’m home, I give the orders!”

Yes sir, there are many wives who are crying out … “Why, Lord? Why me? Why am I being punished with such a man as this?”

This week, I have been meditating on what a godly husband looks like. Does God describe this? As I do the sales for the company, I am often grieved as I hear women saying things like:

- “My husband is never home. I basically raise the children myself. I would give up all of this for having a husband to be with and help me.”
- “My husband comes home from work and leaves immediately to (put in hobby here … or his pass-time)”
- “He just doesn’t understand … I don’t care about the money and “stuff” … I would rather live in a shack and have a husband, than in a castle and living alone.”
- “When he’s home, it’s like having another child to take care of. He never helps me.”

Oh, this list goes on, my brothers. It is time to examine what a “real” man looks like. (The kind that God created us to be.) For some, this may be convicting … for others, it may be simply a reminder (or a minor correction to re-direct us).

THE KEY VERSE THAT WE WILL START WITH IS THE OBVIOUS:

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church.” (Ephesians 5:25-29

Does your focal point with your wife consist of conversations about God (or simply about “stuff”)?

Have you ever seen the Master treating HIS church the way many men treat their wives! Yeshua (Jesus) never mocked them; He never embarrassed, tricked, or made fun of them in front of others (or in private). In fact, He often prayed for them; interceded for them; Even taking the ultimate “hit” for them!!! Do YOU protect your wife at all cost? Does she feel at ease when you are around?

Where has all the chivalry gone? Are there only a few real men left around today? You know, the men who don’t shower their spouse with gifts to make up for their shortcomings as a husband (as if to say, “I am sorry …. Again. But, here, I bought you something. Are we good now?” As if it will make all things right … again.) Real men shower their wives with God’s Word, time and attention. In fact, work is not to be the focus, but staying home and spending time with the family is the goal. (At all cost … yes, even if it means changing jobs or downsizing houses).

HERE ARE SOME OTHER DESCRIPTIONS (Remember … when we took our wives and became a husband … we were given a role to fulfill!):

“Husbands, love your wives and do NOT be harsh with them.” (Colossians 3:19)
- My heart goes out to the wives who must hear the mouth of a savage beast. Yes, we all slip and may say things that are not appropriate; I may have a bad day (and end up apologizing for my words that I have allowed to exit from my lips) … I am not talking about those … I am talking about daily abuse! What wife desires to be treated as a doormat each day? What wife desires to be treated as if she were a slave inside of her own home?
- Men … we ALL must examine our speech and the treatment we give our wives. They are to be special in our sights and honored at all times! Woe to the man who is harsh with his wife! He will lose her in the end and be accountable to God!

“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” (Hebrews 13:4)
- Men, this is self-explanatory: Adultery and being sexually immoral (lust of one’s eyes) is a sin. It may be handed down from one’s father, or a simple lack of respect for one’s wife or women in general … but it is a sin. Good news!!! This sin can be removed with the help of God’s indwelling Spirit (this is the only way. Covering it is not removing it!! Covering or hiding this sin is simply delaying it’s ugly head from rising up again.).
- Men … our marriage bed is to be kept pure … if not, God will judge the man (or woman) who does not honor this vow! That is a promise from God.

“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” (1 Peter 3:7)
- Remember that verse that says that we are to treat our wives the SAME as Christ treated the church (His bride)? Let me give you an example: “… just as the Son of Man did NOT come to be served, but TO serve …” (Matthew 20:28a) We need to be SERVING our wives!!
- Although, many men are not bathing their wives with the Word (Ephesians 5:26) … many do not even realize that their prayers are being hindered. They think: “Life is good … therefore, God must be pleased with me”. Their lives go on with no obvious discipline, no correction from God … is this the proof that they really are not saved? (Revelation 3:19) Do not be deceived by Satan with the riches of this world, men. In the pursuit; name; love of money, MANY are failing in their marriages and ultimately losing their wives? In the pursuit of money, do we think that it can bring happy marriages and relationships? It is the same choice we have with God: To serve money or Him. Many are choosing to serve money, and putting their wives second (But using the excuse … “it’s for you honey.”)

LAST THOUGHTS:

This short devotion is not to degrade or accuse, but the purpose is to build better marriages and ultimately bring about wives who are truly happy, content, and blameless. They will be happy to see us when we come home, and long to see us and hear our voice during the course of a day!

None of us are perfect husbands, but let us imitate the one who is: The Messiah!