Scripture:  1 Peter 3:7

7Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Observations:

Husbands, “Likewise”: living in response to the Gospel.

Live with your wife in an understanding way,

Showing honor to her.

Though she might be weaker than you, she is equal with you as an heir with you of the grace of life.

Mistreating your wife will hinder your prayers.

Application:

The husband living from the perspective knows that the Gospel creates equality at the foot of the cross.  He knows that both he and his wife need a Saviour.   He relates to his wife as one who is equally graced by Jesus and granted citizenship in His Kingdom.  The Gospel empowers a husband to seek to live with his wife in an understanding way.  Understanding and communicating that understanding requires work and time.

The Gospel compels each spouse to value oneness with their spouse and to make decisions that move them toward each other in love and appreciation.  Seeking understanding requires discipline and an open heart.  Learning to recognize when a  spouse makes a bid for a husband’s heart and shifting gears to let her in can be needs deep wells of grace.

The husband who decides to honouring his spouse will make 1000’s of persistent decisions to elevate the place of his wife in his life.  “Honouring your wife” means that she knows there is no one else taking her place.  Honouring your wife means that she comes up early in conversations with others.  Honouring your wife means that children and other family members do not get to divide and conquer.

Peter shows husbands that their attitudes and actions toward their wife impact the quality of conversation they have with God.  Truly no married man is an island.  The quality of his relationship with his wife impacts all of his life.  Jesus indicated that divorce is a product of hardness of heart.  Exam your heart:  To be hardhearted towards your wife may be an indicator of callousness towards God too.

Prayer:  

Heavenly Father, may my heart be tender toward you and the people you have give me to love, honour, and cherish.  May my wife know today, that she is loved.  AMEN.