When I was a little girl, I would dream of one day finding my prince; the man who would love me, cherish me, and stick with me through thick and thin—someone I could look up to and want to follow to the ends of the earth because we would be one, we would be a team.
When my heart met my soulmate, it just knew. There was an unmistakable connection that is beyond my understanding—he is my other half. Sounds like a fairy-tale, yet, we have had some almighty rocky mountains to overcome in our time of marriage, and overcome them we have, though it meant linking arms and heading through the storms side by side.
A heart of sacrifice
When you get married, sometimes it can be surprising how different you are whilst still being so similar. One thing I have learnt throughout it all is that, although I may not choose to tackle situations in the same way my husband does, I have come to learn that he is designed as the head of our family with certain gifts and skills that cause me to stand back and watch, sometimes nervously, as he courageously walks through fire for us.
As head of our family, I have watched my husband grow more and more like Jesus every day, and sometimes painfully. Ephesians chapter 5 verse 25 instructs: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”.
There is actually so much this verse requires that makes me stand in awe of my husband as I have watched him live this out. Giving yourself up for someone means sacrificing your life for the good of others. As head of our family he has, more often than not, put aside his own plans and desires to encourage and develop the gifts and talents of those whom God has put within his care.
He has fought battles for us, he has shown strength when we could have crumbled. His determination has looked trials in the face and said, “you are not going to win!”
A heart of courage
What I love about this, is that his courage is contagious. As he is courageous, so we become courageous and fear disappears. If he is convinced we will overcome, so we are convinced we will overcome. If he is sure of the purpose of our talents, so we have become sure of the purpose of our talents, and he has sacrificed to make a way for them. In this way he has been obedient in the reflection of Jesus to: “present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless”.
If I can trust you with a little…
It reminds me of the parable of the talents in Matthew chapter 25 verses 14 to 30. Here Jesus tells of a man who was going on a journey and entrusted his property to his servants. He gave each servant a different amount to look after and, when he returned from his journey, he asked to see what each had done with what they had been given.
In the same way, when God gives a man a wife and a family, He is giving them His ‘property’ so-to-say, He is giving them His beloved children and, in putting the man as the head of the house, He is entrusting His precious possessions into this earthly care.
When He returns, what has the man done with the gift he has been entrusted with? Has he hidden them and done nothing with them as one of the servants in the parable did? This man’s talent was taken from him and given to the one who had many.
Or did he invest into them and multiply the talents, therefore reaping much and given more because he could be entrusted with the little he began with?
“Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 58)
Multiplying blessing
When a good man cares for his family, it is a multiplying blessing which is seen throughout generations after him. In this year of our 25th wedding anniversary, I would like to honour my husband for being a diligent servant of the Lord, sacrificing for his family in love, and being a mighty example of strength and courage—following the example of how Jesus loves the church.
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you; and be gracious to you.” (Numbers chapter 6 verse 25).