Unity in Christlike Love
As I have been praying God’s heart over this devotion series on the covenant of marriage, my family has been planning and prepping for our middle son’s wedding day. In all the hustle and bustle of planning the details of the day, my prayer is not for a perfect wedding day for my son and his bride but for a lifelong journey, united in the perfected One, Jesus Christ.
As I sit with couples (and singles) in my profession, I often tell them that marriage is hard, divorce is harder, and jokingly (not jokingly) say raising children falls in the middle of the two. But with intentionality and effort towards unity, together the hard work of marriage is beautiful and is a beautiful reflection of how Christ loves his bride, the Church.
Scripture Reading
“That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” – Genesis 2:24 (NIV)
“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ… Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” – Ephesians 5:21, 25 (NIV)
Reflection
When Paul writes about marriage in Ephesians 5:22–33, he chooses words that speak not of control, but of love, yielding, nourishing, and uniting. Six times, he commands husbands to love their wives, reflecting the sacrificial, Christlike love that gives rather than demands (Board of Elders, Opendoor Church, 2023).
In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul describes marriage as a relationship of shared authority: “The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.” Marriage is not about one partner ruling over the other but about mutual submission and equal partnership, where each spouse gives themselves wholly to the other in love (Board of Elders, Opendoor Church, 2023).
God’s design for marriage is beautifully clear: unity. In Genesis 2:24, a husband is called to leave and cleave, to leave behind competing priorities and to unite with his wife as one flesh. This call establishes a new family identity where the husband and wife’s first ministry is to each other. It requires healthy boundaries in reprioritizing careers, friendships, extended family, and even ministry itself, so that the marriage covenant is honored above all earthly relationships.
Headship in marriage, then, is not about domination but about Christlike leadership. Jesus leads His church through sacrifice, humility, and service. In the same way, a husband is called to lead by laying down his life for his wife, just as a wife offers herself in mutual submission out of reverence for Christ. Together, husband and wife mirror the gospel in their unity.
Challenge
Prayer of Blessing
Heavenly Father, We thank You for the gift of marriage, a reflection of Christ’s love for His church. We ask You to strengthen every couple to walk in unity, humility, and sacrificial love. Teach husbands to lead like Christ, laying down their lives in service, and teach wives to respond in grace and mutual honor. May each marriage be a living testimony of Your kingdom, rooted in love and empowered by Your Spirit.
Bless every couple with courage to set boundaries that protect their covenant, with wisdom to reprioritize their lives around one another, and with joy in serving together as one. May their homes be filled with peace, forgiveness, and faithfulness. And for those not yet married, may they trust in Your perfect timing and prepare their hearts for the unity You will bring. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Resources
Board of Elders, Opendoor Church. (2023, March 23). The role of women in ministry [Position paper]. Opendoor Church.
As I sit with couples (and singles) in my profession, I often tell them that marriage is hard, divorce is harder, and jokingly (not jokingly) say raising children falls in the middle of the two. But with intentionality and effort towards unity, together the hard work of marriage is beautiful and is a beautiful reflection of how Christ loves his bride, the Church.
Scripture Reading
“That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” – Genesis 2:24 (NIV)
“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ… Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” – Ephesians 5:21, 25 (NIV)
Reflection
When Paul writes about marriage in Ephesians 5:22–33, he chooses words that speak not of control, but of love, yielding, nourishing, and uniting. Six times, he commands husbands to love their wives, reflecting the sacrificial, Christlike love that gives rather than demands (Board of Elders, Opendoor Church, 2023).
In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul describes marriage as a relationship of shared authority: “The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.” Marriage is not about one partner ruling over the other but about mutual submission and equal partnership, where each spouse gives themselves wholly to the other in love (Board of Elders, Opendoor Church, 2023).
God’s design for marriage is beautifully clear: unity. In Genesis 2:24, a husband is called to leave and cleave, to leave behind competing priorities and to unite with his wife as one flesh. This call establishes a new family identity where the husband and wife’s first ministry is to each other. It requires healthy boundaries in reprioritizing careers, friendships, extended family, and even ministry itself, so that the marriage covenant is honored above all earthly relationships.
Headship in marriage, then, is not about domination but about Christlike leadership. Jesus leads His church through sacrifice, humility, and service. In the same way, a husband is called to lead by laying down his life for his wife, just as a wife offers herself in mutual submission out of reverence for Christ. Together, husband and wife mirror the gospel in their unity.
Challenge
- Husbands | What do you need to “leave” behind in order to fully “cleave” to your wife?
- Wives | What does mutual submission look like for you in this season?
- Couples | What new boundaries do you need to establish so your first ministry is to one another?
- Singles | What are some ways you can yield your heart to allow the Holy Spirit to begin to prep you for your future spouse?
Prayer of Blessing
Heavenly Father, We thank You for the gift of marriage, a reflection of Christ’s love for His church. We ask You to strengthen every couple to walk in unity, humility, and sacrificial love. Teach husbands to lead like Christ, laying down their lives in service, and teach wives to respond in grace and mutual honor. May each marriage be a living testimony of Your kingdom, rooted in love and empowered by Your Spirit.
Bless every couple with courage to set boundaries that protect their covenant, with wisdom to reprioritize their lives around one another, and with joy in serving together as one. May their homes be filled with peace, forgiveness, and faithfulness. And for those not yet married, may they trust in Your perfect timing and prepare their hearts for the unity You will bring. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Resources
Board of Elders, Opendoor Church. (2023, March 23). The role of women in ministry [Position paper]. Opendoor Church.
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