Our Husbands and the Bride of Christ

photo by Simply Knot Photography

Last night, Devin gave me the best compliment I think I have ever received. I felt so undeserving, but so honored just the same. Let me back up a little first...

We've started reading Crazy Love together (Devin reads it out loud and they we discuss it - he has a wonderful tone to his voice and it's just delicious to hear... mmmmm... Anyway.) There is a section where Francis Chan talks of how relentlessly God pursues His creation - like a lover wooing his beloved. Chan mentions the Biblical analogy of Christ as the groom and the Church as the bride. Being a woman, I've never had a hard time grasping this idea and even get shivers at the beautiful, romantic word picture. This is possibly one of the most gorgeous descriptions of a believer's relationship with Christ and yet, its one that most men can't relate to. I mean, how many men really want to picture themselves in a white gown walking towards their groom, Christ - another DUDE? Yeah. I can totally understand why this analogy is lost to most guys.

But here's where the awesome-wow-I-can't-believe-God-used-me-like-this part comes in. After reading this section, Devin turned to me and said, "Thank you for being such a wonderful wife, because I think I understand this concept for the first time. When I see how you love and respect me and submit to me, I finally understand how that relates to Christ and the Church. The way you treat me helps me to understand how I'm suppose to respond to God in the same way."

Um. Wow. I was speechless. I've only been a wife for a grand total of ten months and one day so I know I have a lot still to learn about being a good one. This was a very humbling accolade to receive. And a very eye-opening one.

Christian wives, we have such an incredible honor to fulfill in this area! One that we sadly don't make the most of many times. The way we treat our husbands can help them to understand their relationship with God better. What a crazy, unbelievable responsibility! And what a wonderful motivation to strive to love our husbands better, to respect them more and to submit with joy to their leadership. We're our husbands most tangible example of how the relationship between Christ and the Church works and how we treat them can deeply affect what sort of response they will have towards Christ. I know I'm repeating myself here but - wow. I have never thought about my role as a wife in this way. Even though that is how the scripture describes the wife's role - I guess I just never really made the connection.

Q4U-  Ladies: What are some ways that you can give your husband a tangible example of what this bride/groom relationship with Christ looks like?