Written by Paul Lane
The Word
“25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”
Ephesians 5:25-27 (NKJV)
23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.”
24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
Genesis 2:23-25 (NKJV)
Reflection
One day I took a trip to see about a girl. It all started when I went to a church conference in The Netherlands. While talking to the pastor of the German church he asked me if I was married. Upon finding out that I was single he invited me to come meet some of the “beautiful single women” in his church. How could I turn down such an invitation? Well, long story (that I love to tell) short, we have a house in disrepair, three kids, and a looming Houston August ahead of us.
For this devotional, I would like to refer to Genesis 2 so that I can point to God’s original pattern. In verse 23 Adam wakes, from what must have been an amazing sleep, to the vision of her, the one, and immediately he writes a poem, perhaps in the same meter as the poem God wrote during creation. This is romance in its purest form, and the pattern of God’s interaction with man as a living creature, is set. Out of one, two halves are made and fitted together. Note that this doesn’t mean that the relationship is 50/50. Read it again and you will see that Adam is all in.
It is also funny that it is the man that leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife? She is the target, and the burden is on the man to pursue. When I tell our story, my wife always points out that I didn’t do so well with the pursuing. Something about exchanging phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Well, God’s grace is so good.
With each marriage the echoes of Adams first song continue to ring out, in praise of God’s overwhelming beauty. Song of Solomon 6:3, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine….” It is all so beautiful and grand. But years into the marriage he must remember that, while the same woman has a million complaints about him and their situation, that same song of the beloved continues. Finally, note that there is a parallelism in Genesis 2:25 and Ephesians 5:27; community, intimacy, and purity abound. It is such an incredibly high standard to reach for. Who can possibly achieve such a thing? This is Holy ground. One does not achieve Holy ground; one attends it by God’s own grace.
Application
For this devotional, I think much of the application is obvious: take out the trash, clean the garage, finish the projects, help kids get the homework done, fix dinner rather than working on your boat for once. These are all practical and good things. But don’t forget the song. The languid prose of a larking poet lilting down the hills of a freshly mown meadow are insufficient to the actual task of loving one’s wife, but they do set a nice rhythm by which much can be accomplished in her heart. And that is the task most deeply to be pursued.
Prayer
Dear Lord, teach me to love my wife in both simple and romantic ways. Let Your light shine through me to encourage her and to strengthen her heart. Give me the grace to attend Your Holy Mountain and seek Your face, to the praise of Your glory and grace. Amen.
City Life Starter 
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