WEEK 34 – DAY 1

UNITED

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it . . . For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 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. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:25 & 5:29-32

Most people use Ephesians 5:22-33 to talk to wives about submission and husbands about what true love means, and this is good. However, Paul says he is talking about Christ and the church right after he discusses the husband and wife becoming one flesh. Jesus surrendered himself for us, became our substitute on the cross, in order to redeem his wayward bride. He has made us a part of his body (I Corinthians 12:12), and he also calls our bodies his temple (I Corinthians 6:19). Jesus’s prayer for the body is recorded in John 17:21-23: “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” The marriage relationship is used to help us picture our union with the Lord. We are to be glued to, adhere, cleave, and join ourselves to Jesus. We are the bride He loves as one loves his own body. We are the betrothed for which He gave his life. We are the precious ones He desires to draw unto Himself for eternity. As the beloved in the Song of Songs says, “I belong to my lover, and his desire is for me,” (Song of Solomon 7:10). He lives in us and wraps us in His glorious love eternally and no one can snatch us from Him (John 10:28).

Lord, thank you for desiring a relationship with us and drawing us to Your side. We look forward to the wedding feast when we, the church, will become Your bride. Lord, help us to share this wondrous love with others.