Ephesians 5:31-32 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery – but I am talking about Christ and the Church.”
The apostle Paul has been giving instruction on marriage and marriage relationships and then he switches the script and says he’s really talking about Christ and the church.
I went to the doctor today for a checkup where I had to fill out a questionnaire about pronouns and gender identity and other “stuff.”
Have you ever wondered why God made the world with males and females and why the two genders are drawn to join together in the partnership of marriage. Why did God make us with this innate desire for relationships.
As Ephesians 5:32 indicates, I believe the institution of marriage and the joining together of a man and a woman is a living, working, illustration of the relationship that God wants to have with mankind.
Man was created to illustrate the role of God who pursues us and woos us to fall in love with Him. Woman illustrates the role of mankind who waits and longs for an appropriate suiter.
The more I think about the relational struggles that men and women have with each other, the more I relate them to the struggles that mankind has in relationship with God.
Recently I was talking with a young adult about relationships and was trying to make it as concise as possible. In a love relationship, a man is looking for a beautiful bride who makes him feel important and respected. (Eph 5:33) A woman is looking for a strong or confident groom who makes her feel secure. (An oversimplification to be sure, but true in so many ways.)
I wonder how we Christians, as the bride of Christ, are doing in our love relationship with Jesus. Do we find our security in Him or in the things the world has to offer? Do we love being with Him and having his Word wash over us. (Eph 5:26) Do we understand Him to be confident and strong enough to protect and provide for us.
Jesus loves us so much that He gave himself up for us (Eph 5:25). He finds us to be extremely beautiful. Ephesians 5:27 says that Jesus will present to himself a radiant church without stain or wrinkle, or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Now I’ve been part of the church all my life, and I’ve seen a lot of blemishes. But Jesus looks through all the ugliness to see us as we truly can be in a love relationship with Him: a beautiful wonderful precious bride.
When we feel His wooing love and understand the beauty He sees in us, our best response is to love and adore Him, to respect and submit to His leadership in our lives.
Dear Jesus, thank you for the illustration of marriage to understand the love relationship you desire to have with me. Thank you for your unconditional love that sees the beauty in me. I receive your love and want to express my love to you as well. Help me to love you more, help me to respect and follow you more. I want to find my sole purpose and security in you. Amen
Be Blessed,
Pastor Vern Riehle