Ephesians 5:22-33 - Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

This passage from Ephesians teaches about the roles of husbands and wives within marriage. It instructs wives to submit to their husbands as the church submits to Christ, who is the head. This submission is a spiritual matter of obedience and respect. Husbands are instructed to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Christ gave himself up for the church to make it holy. In the same way, husbands are to sacrificially love their wives as their own bodies. A husband who loves his wife loves himself, as the two become one flesh. The marriage relationship is meant to mirror the relationship between Christ and the church, with love and submission from both parties.

Marriage is a beautiful picture of Christ's love for His church. Within marriage, both husbands and wives are called to lay down their lives for one another through selfless love and honor. For wives, this means willingly submitting to their husband's leadership, just as the church submits to Christ. But submission does not mean being a doormat - it means respecting one's husband and seeking to understand things from his perspective. For husbands, this means sacrificially loving their wives as Christ loved the church. It means meeting her needs, protecting her, and cherishing her as one's very own body. When both parties strive to emulate Christ's love in this way, it leads to deep unity and fulfillment in marriage. However, this is only possible through relying on Christ's strength. We must continually surrender our own desires and look to Jesus as the perfect model of how to love.

Lord, thank you for the gift of marriage and for using it as a picture of your love for us. Help me to cherish my spouse and lay down my life in service of them. For wives, give grace to submit to our husbands' leadership in a spirit of honor, trust and respect. For husbands, fill our hearts with your agape love so that we might sacrificially and selflessly meet our wives' needs. Help all married couples emulate Christ's love for His bride, the church. May our marriages point others to your unconditional love. We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.