Matthew 25:40 NKJV
[40] And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
Good morning!
Who are the brethren that Jesus is referring to in the above verse? It is pretty much everyone around us that we know, meet or love on a daily basis, including our spouses. If Jesus’ direction was to treat the least of these brethren as we would Him, how much more should we treat our spouses that we have entered into a lifelong vow to love and cherish?
When we join together in marital union, God’s plan is for the two to become one flesh. It was like this from the beginning of time in the Garden of Eden when God removed a rib from Adam to form Eve. God joins together spouses to love and cherish one another. They become one flesh and should treat each other as they would their own body. Yet, we see so much chaos in marriages today with 50% ending in divorce. This is not God’s plan and when don’t have Jesus at the center of our marriages, temptation, selfishness and destruction can happen all too easily.
Genesis 2:21-24 NKJV
[21] And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. [22] Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. [23] And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” [24] Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Ephesians 5:31-33 NKJV
[31] “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” [32] This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. [33] Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Imitating the Love of Christ
God loves us through the lens of grace and forgiveness. So if we are to imitate Christ as He loves church, we are to love our spouses in the same manner, giving grace and loving each other with an enduring love that treats each other with dignity, respect, care, compassion and kindness. When we forget the every day practice of these things, the enemy of our souls can quickly sweep in and cause strife, ill feelings and self-seeking tendencies. Be on guard with one another and do not let these “little foxes spoil the vine.”
Remain in-love with your spouse and work daily to keep that fire and spark that originally attracted you to one another. Never let your guard down and never let the sun set in anger with one another, lest we give the devil a foothold in our marriage.
Consider what Adam said in Genesis 2:23, “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh.” Through Adam’s example in the very first marriage on earth, we are shown to treat our spouses like they are part of our own body, cherishing one another. It is so easy to take for granted our spouse that God has joined us together with, but let’s all be purposeful about showing and telling of your love for each other, making it a daily habit.
When you first met? What attracted you? What were your feelings and thoughts toward one another? Think back to that time and never stop that courtship. Live every day protecting the union that God has gifted us with by cherishing each other. We would never neglect a part of our own physical body and neither should we neglect our marital body.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NKJV
[4] Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; [5] does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; [6] does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; [7] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. [8] Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
Song of Songs 2:15 NKJV
[15] Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes.
Ephesians 4:25-27 NKJV
[25] Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. [26] “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, [27] nor give place to the devil.
A Cord of Three Strands
In matrimony, there should always be a relationship of three, meaning that the husband and wife should always keep Jesus at the center of their marriage. In doing so, we are putting God first, each other second, and ourselves last. Living in humility and serving one another is what Jesus taught His disciples to do and we, therefore, should follow this example especially in our marriages — the student is never above the teacher. In humility, we give of ourselves to others, putting their needs before our own.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NIV
[9] Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: [10] If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. [11] Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? [12] Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Matthew 10:24 NIV
[24] “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.
Proverbs 11:2 AMPC
[2] When swelling and pride come, then emptiness and shame come also, but with the humble (those who are lowly, who have been pruned or chiseled by trial, and renounce self) are skillful and godly Wisdom and soundness.
Ephesians 4:2 NLT
[2] Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.
For the long-time marriages, for the newlyweds and even for those that are still in the dating phase of their relationships, take heed to what God’s word says about loving one another and always be on the lookout for those little foxes that will try to spoil the vine.
I love you and am praying for you today!
Dad