Godly Husbands are to be Treasured

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,” Ephesians 5:25 NKJV

To say that I love and appreciate my husband would be an absolute understatement. Other than being the kindest human being I have ever met, my sweet Larry (as I like to call him) is the most self-sacrificial person I have ever met. This was something that became abundantly clear, once again, as he helped me complete another 20-mile training run Saturday morning. This man—who has served as pacer, crew, coach, counselor, and cleanup guy on more races than I can count—has worked behind the scenes to help me reach countless finish lines (many of them with us side by side). But what made last weekends run different was this... earlier that week my sweet Larry had received the news we knew one day would come. After a consultation with an esteemed orthopedic doctor (due to extreme pain that he could no longer bear) my dear husband was told that he would need a left knee replacement (and probably the right later) and would be restricted to speed walking and biking. 

Now, while this might have you saying, “Well, what’s so wrong with that? At least he can still exercise,” consider that runners love running for more reasons than simple exercise. It’s hard to explain, but suffice it to say, that running is a sport like no other because of the comraderie, mental clarity, sense of purpose, and feeling of accomplishment it provides, among other things. It’s even more special to Christian runners who use the time to enjoy nature and feel the presence of the Creator. 

Which is the very reason that I appreciated even more what my husband did for me. Rather than lament over what he could no longer do and become bitter (as I’ve seen many runners do over the years), that sweet man gladly served as my SAG (Support and Gear) team with a smile on his face—driving from point to point for several hours to refresh my supplies, cheer me on, and tell me that he loved me, three things that helped me complete the run feeling great and with a smile on my face.  

On more than one occasion throughout the morning, I had to fight back tears at the realization that I have a husband who loves me in a way that’s unworldly... a husband who continually puts my needs above his own, and finds great joy in doing so. 

And you know, I call this love “unworldly” because that’s exactly what this type of deep affection is. It’s the same love that Christ showed the church when He “gave Himself for her.” This love-in-action, as we see by the word “gave,” indicates a lifelong commitment and a willingness to make any sacrifices necessary to “give” whatever is necessary for the good of “her.”

“that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:26-27

It’s an agape love that gives and loves because it wants to; it doesn’t demand or expect repayment from the love given; it gives because it loves, and does not love in order to receive. This is the unworldly love a godly husband shows... guarding and loving his wife, taking extra special care of her spiritual health (something my husband does on top of my physical health) so that “she should be holy and without blemish” no matter the cost to him. This is what a godly husband does and why he is to be treasured. 

So, if you’re married to a godly man like I am, praise the Lord for him my friend and treat him well. He is truly a gift from God. And if you’re single and looking for a mate, choose only a person who has proven themselves to be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, knowing that only those who love Him with their whole hearts can love you the way “Christ also loved the church.”

Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus Christ who displayed the ultimate example of love when He died to deliver us from our sins. Not only that, but Jesus loved us before we loved Him and loved us in spite of our sins. Help us to love others in the same way Lord, especially our spouses and to choose them wisely. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!