A husband and his wife
It is a husband’s duty to protect his wife, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. It should also be his delight. A husband will protect his wife because he cherishes her, because his desire is for her and because his delight is in her. She is his beloved, and he will stop at nothing to protect her, even laying down his life. A husband protects his wife because they possess and share an intimacy, a closeness, a friendship that he values above anything else. It is irreplaceable. As time passes, the value increases, delight is heightened and commitment is deepened. On the other hand, a husband who is not willing to protect his wife emotionally, physically, and spiritually is a husband who does not honor or cherish her. His desire is not for her. It’s not that commitment is too extravagant a price for him to pay, it’s that he has no idea what has been given to him in her.
A Christian and his savior
Jesus is preeminent, holding first place in all things (Colossians 1:18). In Christ we HAVE everything. And when we are satisfied in Him and with nothing else, He becomes our preeminent desire. It’s not because we lack Christ that we hunger and thirst for Him, but rather it’s because we know Him that we hunger and thirst for more of Him. It is out of this satisfaction/desire that a passionate, loving commitment to Him arises which is unswerving and unmistakable. Since there is nothing in this world more precious than Jesus Christ, there is nothing in this world not worth giving up or laying down to follow Him. As the church, we should long to set apart all that we are, have, and do for Jesus. Holiness is where delight and duty collide. There is nothing boring about being holy! It is for this reason that we were saved, are being saved, and will be saved (Romans 8:29; Ephesians 1:4). Being holy is being like Jesus and being with Jesus. Being holy is living like Jesus and living for Jesus. There is so much more than the singular or weekly moments we have in the presence of God while at church or in our private devotions. If this is the sum and total of our knowledge of Jesus, of what we have in Jesus and of our understanding of intimacy and friendship with Jesus, then once we leave that moment our commitment to Him will be dubious and tossed back and forth, and we will be double-minded and half-hearted. There must be an unrivaled desire in our heart for Jesus, which will fuel an unswerving commitment to uphold His name and glory with our lives. This unrivaled desire comes from beholding the indescribable riches of God which He’s already given to us by His grace in Jesus Christ. We lack nothing!
Christ and His bride
Jesus had an unswerving commitment because He had an unrivaled desire. He loved His heavenly Father. He was committed to His heavenly Father and to the eternal will of God. And the will of God was not random or haphazard, but predetermined and divine. Out of perfect love and in perfect commitment, Jesus came to earth and being born as a baby He lived, died, was buried and rose again. To the glory of God, the eternal plan of salvation was accomplished. Those who hated, despised, and rejected God could be reconciled to Him in Jesus Christ, through Whom God has loved us. Furthermore, God has already committed to finishing the work of salvation that He has begun in us (Psalm 57:2; Phil. 1:6). One day Jesus will present to Himself the church, His bride, holy, unblemished and pure (Ephesians 5:27; Colossians 1:21-23). For this reason, Jesus delights in His church now and will protect and perfect her until He returns. He will never abandon His bride. In His heart, Jesus has an unrivaled desire for the church which fuels His unswerving commitment to her, because above all, He is committed to fulfilling the eternal will of God and to upholding God’s holy name in matchless glory, honor, and praise on earth as in heaven. We exist for the same joyful and glorious purpose.
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