The world says, "there's nothing like a mother's love." And while I understand the truth to that statement, I also find it interesting that God chose the description of a husband and wife in marriage to be viewed as immeasurable to all other loves.
The love between a husband and wife is compared to the love Jesus has for His church. He calls the man to lay down his life for his wife, to love her, to be gentle with her, to pour into her, because that is what Jesus does for us. And He calls the woman to love her husband, honor him and respect his leadership, serve him willingly because that is how we are to respond to the Lord. This love is to be the primary focus, forsaking all else (people & worldy passions) to ensure the marriage relationship is kept strong.
The love parents have for their children is great, indeed! I know this firsthand. But God chose the love between a husband and a wife, when in proper obedience to God's Word, as the greatest image of Jesus' love for His church. It's a glimpse of the greatness of His love.
You can look at me and think I have no room to talk about marriage because I have been divorced. But God has a beautiful way of using even a divorce to teach us new things and redeem our stories. That is what I see with my husband now. This marriage is different from my last. I see things in this marriage differently.
When we love one another as it says in Ephesians 5, I can truly say, "there's nothing like the love of my husband." When he sacrifices for me, I see Jesus' sacrifice for me. When he loves me as sweetly as he does, I see Jesus' love for me. When he gives of himself for me, I see Jesus laying down his life for me.
We are human and don't do this perfectly, but Jesus did & will always do this perfectly. The mystery of a godly marriage is profound because it accentuates Christ and the Church.
