Unconditional Love 3 (mmf)

[missmyfriend]

PH, I have to say that regardless of how it "appears", I have a feeling that no matter what the outcome is, I am supposed to continue acting as if I am her husband. I mean as a husband as God intends and not what is commonly believed.

I know that God instructed us husbands to "...love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her..." (Ephesians 5:25) which I have not even come close to. I haven't died for her although I have loved her through all of this. I can do this by taking care of the family, showing forgiveness by not holding on to things or having expectations and to speak kindly of her to others.

In Ephesians it goes on to say after the example of Christ that He did so and I should do so to "make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word...husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies...However each of you also must love his wife as he loves himself..."

Jesus came to this world and gave up all of the heavenly benefits to be tortured, ridiculed, hated and killed, knowing what He would have to go through so that we could have a relationship with Him. I don't think I could've made the decision to get married to my wife knowing what I was going to have to face someday (even though the rewards of my children are worth it).

I know I could look at the fact that she left and that she divorced me as a way to free of any obligations but as I re-read that scripture, I see a Christ who didn't have to die for all of us and take all sin upon Himself knowing we would abandon Him (we are, at some time or another, walk away Christians) but He loved us anyway.

So when someone tells me I have done enough and that I can stop loving her and stop standing for her, I see this scripture and see that He never gave up on us (me) and He asks us to do the same for our wives. He didn't say "unless she does this or that".

I do believe that even if she doesn't come back that He may have another purpose for me. It could be to prepare me for something better. It could be to make me a better father and a role model for my children to help them have more successful marriages. It could be for a multitude of reasons that I cannot even understand right now but I do trust Him (although it is challenging at times).

I will pick up the book and rent the movie, PH.