May 6: Have a great marriage

Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. Now as the church submits to Christ, so wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her… In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.  (Ephesians 5:22-28 – Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Marriage was established by God when He created the first man and woman. God has told us how we can have good marriages, and if we follow His instructions we will enjoy peace and happiness. God has established the husband as the leader in the home. So wives should recognize their husbands’ leadership, and encourage and help them to fulfill this responsibility. Some husbands don't want to take responsibility, and want to shift it to their wives. Some wives don't want to be submissive to their husbands, and try to take the leadership for themselves. Neither of these attitudes will work — and both are wrong in God's sight.

A husband must love his wife as Christ loved the church. A husband is commanded to care for his wife as he cares for his own body. This requires time and thought and effort. By actions and behavior, as well as words, a husband and wife convince each other of their love. It takes time and work to build a good marriage, but the results will be evident to you throughout your life. As a husband or wife, forget about yourself and work to make your partner happy. Afterwards, you will find that you are happy too!

Many marriages today are destroyed by the power of Satan, and many of those that make the effort to stay together are empty and unhappy. But there is no need for us to be caught in this trap of the devil. You can have a good marriage — even if you've failed in the past. Now that you know the Lord Jesus and have submitted to His authority and direction, everything can be transformed.