“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing,

and obtaineth favor of the Lord.”

(Proverbs 18:22)

 

I believe this means a good and faithful wife, one that has many of the qualities of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31.

I found such a wife, not by my design, though I did want a good and morally upright wife if I was to get one. But what I got was not my doing. I marvel at the merciful providence of God that brought her into my life and the providences that led up to when “the love-bug bit.”

So I say to men who have found such a biblical wife, hold her tight. Indeed, love her and show her that love, even as Christ loved the church, His bride. But note that even Christ’s love and devotion were subservient to the Father. He not only loved with the Father’s love, but the doing of the will of the Father was always uppermost in His mind. So it must be with us, too. What you do with or for your earthly wife must always be subservient and in agreement with God’s will and direction. But hold her tight in His love.

Then when it comes time for her to fly away, if that happens prior to your “Home-going,” turn her lose and praise God for loaning her to you for a time. We don’t deserve the least or the greatest of God’s mercies and gifts. And the gift of a good wife is the greatest of earthly blessing of a good wife is the greatest of earthly blessings. If both of you belong to the Lord, it is a spiritual blessing as well. What a matchless possession!

Be aware that it is human to take even the best and greatest blessings for granted. The best you can do, when she (or he is gone, if the husband precedes the wife), you realize you have failed, that you have fallen short!

Love deep, and show it while you can. I tell you, husband that loves your wife, if she goes Home first, you will wish you had been even more loving and attentive, no matter how faithful you are now on that score. You will wish you had done more, and spoken more in loving terms, showing even more love.

When she is gone, oh! you will grieve. You will grieve with deep sorrow, loss and loneliness. But you can do as Job did—by God’s grace. You can fall on your face and “worship God.” You can praise God for His goodness in so many ways, even for loaning you such a blessing.

It is exceedingly hard when that most beloved mate is no longer with you. You can no longer tell her how much you love her. You can no longer do loving things for her. She is gone!  You go into every room full of memories, and she is GONE! But as Christians, we look forward to loving her and even serving her, as well as all saints in Heaven later. And as our heavenly Bridegroom taught us on earth—to love and serve one another!

—Living Truth Ministries

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Dedicated to the Memory

of

Maryanne Berry

1937—2016

Whose Death-Bed Theme Was

The Sufferings of Jesus

Which Included Concern for Needs of Others

and Her Death-Bed Hymn Was

“God moves in a mysterious way,

His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea,

He rides upon the storm.”

 

She wanted “love, joy and peace”

and to “go Home.”

 

Under God, she was the music of my life,

a pearl of great price,

fine gold refined in the furnace of affliction.

“Her price is far above rubies.”

(Proverbs 31:10)

—Glen Berry