Through Christ we are called to sit side-by-side with our spouse.

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Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone;
I will make him a helper fit for him.”
Genesis 2:18 English Standard Version

Sin has robbed us of something valuable. It has robbed us of God’s intended intimacy between a man and a woman. What we often see as God’s intent for marriage has more roots in the curse than in God’s blessing. We might think that a man’s dominance over his wife is what God wants, but Genesis 3:16 says something different. In the curse upon Eve God states, “…and he shall rule over you.”

Black Forest, Colorado
Copyright Douglas P Brauner

To make matters worse, God states that Eve’s desire would be for her husband, a desire that could hold her in a destructive relationship. That’s sin at work, not grace.

We see this picture of desire in a different light if we view another Scripture from Song of Solomon as a picture of Christ and his bride, the Church.

Solomon’s bride sings, “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me.” The word “desire” is the same word used in Genesis 3:16, but now it is not the bride desiring her husband, but the husband desiring his bride.

Jesus is ravenous for his bride; to embrace her, to comfort her, to delight in her. We are his bride, and he desires to sit at our side. His cross is proof of the extent of his love for us.

Husbands, what would happen in our marriages if this desire that Jesus has for us was reflected in our desire for our brides; to embrace them, to comfort them, to delight in them?

Maybe tonight would be a good night to pull out the lawn chairs and invite your bride to sit with you side-by-side.

Copyright Douglas P Brauner