Isaac's Keep | Reformed Canton Church in Downtown Canton, GA

There is nothing perhaps more clichéd and less helpful than to say, “My wife is under-appreciated.”  The fact that we don’t appreciate is really just a symptom of not loving and cherishing.  We can spin it a hundred different ways, but the fact is if we loved our wives as much we wished we did, we would appreciate and cherish them more.  The fact is that flattering platitudes don’t solve the problem, they simply sugar coat it.  As I review this call in my life (#2 on my list of importance) I get angry.  I didn’t love my wife enough over the past year.  I didn’t cherish her as much as I could or should.  And why is that?  I could say that it’s the other six callings that get in the way, but that’s a cop-out, really I didn’t love and cherish her enough the past year because I was unwilling to be Christ to her.  I didn’t lay down my life for her, I chose other things first, things that are not nearly as worthy or lovely as my wife.  After 11 years of marriage I hate the fact that I showed her less love than when we first began, it’s just so typical and it has to change. If it doesn’t then all else is vanity and pride.  If I can’t love and cherish my wife more then can I really love and cherish anyone else.  This is the woman I am in covenant with, there is a promise sealed in heaven regarding this relationship, if I don’t fulfill my promises in this covenant I am not fit for ministry anywhere else.

I will ask her to review this call for me. But I know I can do better, and I’m going to do better.  I know I love her beyond words, my heart is stirred in her presence, it flutters at the thoughts of my love for her.  Now I must do better at practicing this knowledge and emotion by cherishing her, by being Christ to her.  It is a form of worship to God to love and cherish my wife, it is one of the greatest privileges, I need to take more advantage of it.