Today's Passage - Ephesians 5:28-30

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Ephesians 5:28-30   "In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church - for we are members of his body."   What is love?  In marriage our love is often self-centered, but love is simply to pay attention to your wife.  Real love is not about what gifts you give to your wife or what you do for her, but it's about how much you pay attention to her.  After the wedding, the wife often feels that she will live happily there after with the husband, but the husband would feel that one big milestone has been achieved and he can finally turn his focus back to career.  I don't mean career is not important, but I need to ask the husbands, how much to you value your wives and care for her needs?   I used to think that I really cared for my wife, until one day I heard a speaker who asked: "have you prayed for your wife today?"  Suddenly I felt that I really have forsaken my wife; I often pray for other people and I even pray for others along with my wife, but I seldom pray specifically for her.  Let me also ask this question: "As a husband, how much do you care about your wife's needs?  Have you prayed for her today?"  No matter what your reasons are - whether it's work, life, career, family or even church, no reason is sufficient for you to neglect your responsibility for your wife.   Moreover, husbands also need to pay attention to understand the wives.  Many husbands complain: "I don't get my wife, she's always so moody!"  Actually, it is precisely the responsibility of husbands to understand their wives' emotions, to know their personalities, how they like to express their feelings, their fear as well as their likes and dislikes.  Compared to the time you spend on studying about computers or stocks, how much time do you spend on studying your wife?  As we face increasingly serious issue of divorces among Christians, husbands must face the challenge of becoming a real man and courageously take on the responsibility for the success of the family.   I've seen two great books on marriage, one is "winning your husband's heart" and the other is "winning your wife's heart."  I found that in bookstores "winning your husband's heart" is always sold out, but no one seems to be interested in "winning your wife's heart."  Is it because there's no need to win a wife's heart, or is it that husbands don't adequately value the needs of the wives?  Husbands, are you willing to love your wives by focusing on her needs starting today?                                                                                   Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, please help each and every husband to know how to love their wife like how Christ loves the church.  In our daily life, let us pray for our wives, and to know how to satisfy their needs.  I thank you and I pray for the victorious name of Jesus, amen!