"Wherefore Jesus!"

 "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate." (Hebrews 13:12 KJV)

  "For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault." (Ephesians 5:25-27 NLT)

 It has been a little while sense I have spoken about this subject; mostly because I always feel as though I am the bad guy, who makes men feel like they are not treating their wives as they should. I'd like to be able to prove myself right, but to be perfectly honest, before August the 12th, 2003, I really didn't think I needed to give up my life for my wife! Now, I only weep over all the things I did to break her heart! 

 Don't get me wrong, I really thought we had a very pleasant and loving relationship; but truth be told, between work and online surfing, she probably only had 10% of my time; and in reality, I thought my time was more important than her. Even then, I thought that our relationship was good, better than most; that is, until one night, when she came into our bed, and broke my heart, saying, "Do you love me?" 

 It was really like a sting to my heart, I felt like Peter, as Jesus asked him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" It says in Ephesians 5:33, "Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband." Must men think that that word reverence is a word that makes the wife worship or respect her husband, no matter what. 

 Unfortunately, it is meant to be a holy fear; which might sound worse, but in reality, it is the same holy fear that we have in our reverence toward Jesus Christ! He loved us first and foremost, above all else, He gave up His life in order to make us holy and pure; now we are His bride, and we must reflect the love that Christ has given us, with fear and trembling!

 I know, this might sound weird and over-the-top; but as I have shared with several men, (without much luck,) 'If your bride loved you on the alter when you got married, and she has fallen out of love for you, it is your fault!' I really don't get a lot of compliments when I say that, but is what I feel in my heart...

"Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O LORD. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your river of delights. For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see." (PSALM 36:5-9 NLT)