“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” (Eph. 5:25)
I can think of fewer sadder things than a couple that loves each other deeply, perhaps even before they were married, spending half a century or more together in a romantic married relationship, that do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. A thousand or more years in hell alone, and then perhaps for a moment a glance at each other before each of them are cast into the Lake of Fire. The thought of that sadness is incomprehensible.
“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” (Eph. 5:22)
My lovely wife does not like me very much somedays, and I do not blame her, I can be a hard, adamant man, but, there are days when the feeling is mutual. It does not mean we do not still love each other; we know this too shall pass, and then return again one day. But we have something that few do these days, or ever have had, the knowledge that we will spend eternity in the presence of the Lord, experiencing Psalm 16:11 together, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
I look forward to it with great expectation, because, to put it bluntly, I think she will like me more when the old man inside of me is finally removed. And again, the feeling is mutual.
This is not a short letter on how to remain a happily married couple, it is at best one on how to be an obedient married couple in the eyes of the Lord. It is something I mentioned to her in the first few days we met, that together we should be able to see that we can serve Christ greater than we could if we were single, and this has come to pass. “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” (Eph. 5:31)
Our focus, our intent has not wavered, that God would be glorified, that we would be obedient to the will of the Lord and follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit in our lives, to bring the message of the grace of God through salvation in Jesus Christ to all that will listen. We play our parts, as it were, as best as we can in accordance to the Word of God, and it is easier somedays than others.
I am as the Scriptures say, the Spiritual leader of the house, and she is the finest helpmeet a man could ask for.
I believe that many completely misinterpret Matthew 22:30, “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.” We are already married, and our marriage is in Christ, how can one interpret this verse any differently than that we will continue to be married in heaven in light of two being one. Can death separate a love consecrated by the Lord? Will your children still be your children in the Kingdom of God, your parents your parents still?
Death may separate us for a short time, and although I cannot see the future, I do not see myself “looking” for a companion or another “Love of my life” if the Lord decides to take her home before me. But, she may say differently if the role is reversed, and if you knew me, you would not blame her one bit.
“Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.” (Gen. 5:2) Marriage is in a way made for the procreation of the human race, for children, but when those children are grown and gone, the two of you will still be together. And that is the bond I speak of here, two becoming one, never separated as such throughout all eternity.
I wrote the marriage vows for our wedding, and in them I did not place “Till death do us part,” for it is a temporary thing, this life, and to be separated from my lovely wife will be grievous, but only for a time. Perhaps we will be raptured together, perhaps not, but I cannot compare a few years here to eternity, and if the Lord decides I am to go home first, I will ask if I can wait at the gate for her, so that we may walk through it together, in the same way we walk everywhere we go, holding hands.