May 1

Moments with God, May 1

Ephesians 5:25-27 (NIV) 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

I was looking over our garden after the rain and realized that I have a green thumb when it comes to growing grass and weeds as they were sprouting all over the garden. While the ground was still soft, I began pulling up those growths that were not going to provide me with food. After a few minutes, my actions took me back to my childhood where playing in the mud was one of the greatest forms of entertainment. When I finished in the garden, my hands were covered in mud; therefore, not surprisingly, I went straight to the sink and washed my hands in soap and water. Before long, my hands were clean enough for me to eat my supper.

I know the above story does not reveal a thought-provoking revelation. However, when I read today’s passage, I thought of the simple act of washing my hands. Paul speaks to husbands that we are to love our wives as Christ loves His church. Doing so results in an amazing relationship that mirrors our relationship with Jesus. In that comparison, Paul tells us that Jesus cleanses us with His word. Just as that water cleansed my filthy hands, so His word cleanses us. We cannot go through the day without getting our hands dirty. The world surrounds us with temptations, filth, deceptions, and traps. We will get soiled. We are comforted in knowing that reading, contemplating, and living Christ’s word cleanses us so we are presentable to our Lord. The Word will combat every evil influence and reveal even the smallest sin. It will show us the right way and teach us how to walk the Truth. It is comforting to know that no matter what or who we encounter in the world, Jesus’s word will cleanse us. In addition, husbands, when we love our wives as Christ loves His church, we can bring Christ into our homes.