This blog post and my Kingdom Thinking thoughts for the week will be based on Kingdom Marriage.
Now I am not writing this as a way of saying I know it all. I would say “ask my wife” but never mind that! But I could easily write a book on “How to insert foot in mouth” and also “101 Things You Do Not Say To The One You Love”. But I will say this, my wife, Debbie, is my best friend, my love and fantasy girl. She is my workout partner and the one I walk to work with each day; she is the one I share my deepest hurts with, craziest dreams and everything else you can imagine. She has seen me at my best and too many times at my worst and still gives me the honor of calling her, “my wife”. Thanks Angel!!!
Marriage by design is to be between one man & one woman. This blog post is not to despute something so clearly outlined in the Bible. But what I do hope comes from this week, is a great awakening in the best of marriages, because without success in relationships, nothing else can truly be in order.
In Ephesians 5, it reads the specific design that God laid out for men & women to follow for a Kingdom marriage. Let’s read it together starting in verse 20: “At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Wives, be subject (be submissive and adapt yourselves) to your own husbands as [a service] to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife as Christ is the Head of the church, Himself the Savior of [His] body. As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word, That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy and faultless]. Even so husbands should love their wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and carefully protects and cherishes it, as Christ does the church, Because we are members (parts) of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is very great, but I speak concerning [the relation of] Christ and the church. However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly]. (Ephesians 5:20-33 AMP)”
I wonder how many read this seeing the two way street of marriage and how many see the one way street of what he or she is to do for me.
I have always felt if we would focus on our spouse and their needs, then the needs of all would be met, even those of the children. We all have needs, but it’s not up to us to meet our needs, but instead those of our spouse. Truly we must be willing to go past our feelings, needs, or current circumstances to ensure our spouse always feels they are wanted, needed, desired and unconditionally loved forevermore.
I hear guys say all the time, “I am looking for that Proverbs 31 woman” but I feel we should see Proverbs 31 as a personal guide that we should all, male and female desire to fulfill.
And I will end on this note. Never let your age or length of time together ever let the flame of desire be blown out. Fuel that flame until your very last breath. Our Kingdom Marriages are setting the stage for others as to what a real marriage should honestly be!
Debbie and I would love to hear from you with your comments, questions, etc. So please feel free to leave them below.
The Vertical Journey 