This Old House
On April 16, 1978, Deborah and I were married. On that day, by God’s Grace, the two of us became one. In 1979, we purchased a house, and it has been our home ever since. In this house we have laughed and cried, fought and made up, celebrated and mourned. This is where we live. In this house, we raised our family, and every inch of it is coated with memories. It is our home, but it is not us, it is not our marriage.
This house greatly reflects our personalities. We are familiar with all the creaks and pops and every crack in the walls. There is contentment to be found in its every flaw. We desire no place more comfortable than our house. But if it is taken from us tonight, and if tomorrow we are homeless, we will still have each other. What God has joined together, nothing can put asunder. You see this house is our home, but it is not us, it is not our marriage.
All over this land, there are buildings that people call churches. Some are beautiful brick-and-mortar structures while others look more like metal warehouses. In these buildings, church members have laughed and cried. They have fought and made up. They have celebrated, and they have mourned. In these buildings, the family of God has grown and they are filled with memories. All these buildings could be destroyed today. Even if we had no place to gather, we would still come together. We would continue to worship God. These buildings are not the church, they are not our salvation.
The church is the bride of Christ, and Jesus is the bridegroom. He loves the church and He gave His life for her. But when Jesus said,” I will build my Church” He was not talking about brick and mortar. No, He was talking about us. Those of us who are His followers are His bride; we are His church. We have been chosen by God to be precious, living stones in the spiritual house that Jesus is building.
One day all these buildings that people call churches will rot and burn, they were never meant to be permanent. Still, the church that is the bride of Christ is built on a firm foundation and will never fail. Christ loves the church and gave Himself for us. He has sanctified and cleansed us. One day we will be presented to Him as a glorious church, holy and without blemish.
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
Ephesians 5:22-33 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/eph.5.22-33.NKJV
Douglas & Deborah Huff
From Down Where the Pavement Ends
email-douglas@pavementendsministry.com
