Eph. 5:25-33

First off thanks Tyler for getting us started!

Its amazing how God moves. This passage has been on my mind and heart a lot lately as Hanna and I have gone through pre-marital counseling and as my wedding is quickly approaching. What does it mean to be a husband? Paul makes it pretty clear. We are to be like Christ.

I have to be honest, and I think if we all are we come to the same conclusion, I can barely make it as a Christ emulating Christ let alone a husband. Like Paul said, Christ died for His bride the church, so we are too.

But Kristen through Tyler, brings up a good question. Let me rephrase it to show what I have been going through. Kristen asked "what would you do for me?" I ask "how will I die for Hanna?" Like Tyler I too find it easy to think up heroic stories of me saving the love of my life, but I'm starting to realize that most of us won't have to stop a bullet for those we love, but as husbands we are called to die to ourselves; so what does it look like. That's how I got to the question, "how will I die for Hanna?" The truth is (as Peet my priest tells) I have to die to my "self". I have to give up my selfish thoughts, mentality, habits, etc. and literally let them die. I have to make sure that they cease existing in me. That is hard! Especially when we used to stake our identities on something of these things. And ok maybe ceasing existence is more than we have to do, sometimes we have to only make it less important than our wives; but the question still stands.

It has been hard already, and we aren't even married.

Sometimes I wonder what obligation I am under if Hanna doesn't do her share of dieing to 'self' and then I remember. Jesus hasn't abandoned me and I sure haven't done anything to attain the grace that He has freely given by dieing on the cross.

Tyler is right, we have to commit. Like Christ did, as I think about the vows I am going to promise to Hanna on July 10th, I begin to feel the gravity and know that I will have to get rid of parts of me to make this work. I have to commit to this. Not only because and to Hanna, but more importantly to my Lord and savior. It is only because of Him and through Him that I am here and that I commit to Hanna and know that when my strength fails I can and must rely on Him.

(I apologize for those non-married among us. Please don't feel pressured to get married by this passage and discussion. Your opinion as a single person is just as valid and important. We are after all all part of one bride which is the Church, married to one God who is Christ.)