A New Song for Life

In part one , I explained there was a time when I came to see the classic Ephesians 5 passage through new eyes. It struck me that a full five-sixths of the passage is specifically directed toward husbands, not wives. What I unpacked next from Paul’s word to husbands is that Christ is our Pioneer... A new song The next key to strike me from the husbands passage is that Christ is our Pioneer. He has set the scene. We are to love our wives as Christ loved the church. Here we have a picture of sacrificial love. It is not just a case of, do I love my wife enough to die for her? Many men would boldly claim that they did. The more penetrating question is, do I love my wife enough to live for her? Do I love her enough to pick up the teatowel? Do I love her enough to rearrange my schedule? C.S Lewis reportedly said if men wish to tenaciously hold to the belief that as head they wear the crown, it is a crown of thorns, a crown of sacrifice and servant-hood. Maybe Paul hoped the christian hus...

I looked at my wife as I said my vows and it was as if I only saw her through a haze, a romantic hue if you like. She reported later she had the same experience. I was married to this lovely lady, and she had given herself to me. She too was glowing in anticipation as to our future together. We were so blessed! Isn’t it amazing how subtly and easily the shine comes off, how small shifts take place almost imperceptibly at first, until one partner can end feeling completely overlooked. I wouldn’t have given credence to anyone who tried to tell me but over the months and first years of our marriage I slowly but surely had begun to take my wife for granted. I was in the relationship but only looking after my own needs. This is still endemic in society today – men who want a wife but at their heart really want to go on living as singles. I had always stood poised ready to make all the decisions that needed to be made. She knew where I stood politically and theologically, and there was n...