this primary human relationship between husband and wife is
meant to be a living witness to others of the love of Christ for
His church (Eph. 5:22–33).
Marriage stands for the creation of unity among two people
who were once separated in every way before love reached out
and found the other—the way God reached out and found us,
and covenanted with us, and loved us, and despite who we are,
despite what we’re like, still loves us. This image, more than
almost anything, is exactly what the enemy wants to denigrate.
When Scripture counsels husbands to love and lead their
wives, even when it counsels us wives to submit to our
husbands—[gulp!]—the ultimate motivation for these lofty
directives is not just so we’ll get along better on the weekends
but that our homes will reflect on earth the order of God’s
relationship with us. Husbands are to love their wives “just as
Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Eph.
5:25). Wives are to submit to their husbands “as the church
submits to Christ” (v. 24 NLT).
Again, big deal, all around. Much bigger deal than we
thought.