24 Aug September 12 Daily Devotional

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S LETTER TO THE COLOSSIANS

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHRISTIANS – HUSBANDS

Colossians 3:19 “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.”

God is equally concerned about the relationship a husband has with his wife as a wife with her husband (yesterday’s devotion.) At the time God created male and female He said, “. . . a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)  Jesus said of their relationship, “What God has joined together let no one separate.” (Mark 10:9) As was true at the time of creation, all God created was perfect.  This included Adam and Eve who were created in their perfect state.  In that state they were unashamedly naked. (Genesis 2:25)

After Adam and Eve sinned, the condition of marriage changed as did everything of God’s creation.  God sent His Son Jesus into the world to pay for all the sins of humanity, include those against God’s perfect creation of marriage.  The Holy Spirit, through the pen of St. Paul, wrote that a Christian husband is to love his wife in the same way Jesus loves those who form His body (the Church.)

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh . . . each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” (Ephesians 5:25-33)

“In contrast to the culture of the time (and today’s culture as well), the husband is told not to rule over his wife but to love her.” (Lutheran Study Bible)  This is exactly what today’s devotional verse says, isn’t it?  “If the husband’s love for his wife is Christlike, he is willing to give up his very life for her (Gal 2:20; Ti 2:14; 1Jn 3:16).” (Lutheran Study Bible)

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, bless husbands with the same love Jesus has for His bride, the Church.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Oh, blest the house, whate’er befall,

Where Jesus Christ is all in all!

A home that is not wholly His—

How sad and poor and dark it is!

Oh, blest that house where faith is found

And all in hope and love abound;

They trust their God and serve Him still

And do in all His holy will!

Oh, blest the parents who give heed

Unto their children’s foremost need

And weary not of care or cost.

May none to them and heav’n be lost!

Oh, blest that house; it prospers well.

In peace and joy the parents dwell,

And in their children’s lives is shown

How richly God can bless His own.

Then here will I and mine today

A solemn promise make and say:

Though all the world forsake His Word,

I and my house will serve the Lord.

(LSB 862)