“This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”
Genesis 2:24

What does it mean for a husband to join to, or cleave to, his wife? It means to catch by pursuit. This sounds like hunting or fishing to me. The problem is, once the game is caught, the hunt is over. Guys, hear me – we are always supposed to pursue the heart of our wife and it’s a pursuit that doesn’t stop.

Bishop Larry Jackson shared with a group of pastors something I’ve seen for years. Here is the progression. First, a man pursues the woman that he wants to be his wife. He calls her, writes her notes, goes to see her, spends hours upon hours talking to her. Then once you have the big day and are married, the guy stops the pursuit. After he “caught” her, then the man stops pursuing her heart and starts pursuing her body. Then he starts to pursue a career more than his wife.

What if, instead of that, we never stop pursuing the heart of our wife? What if we keep doing the things that won her heart in the first place? If you will put the same energy into pursuing your wife’s heart that you did before you were married, you just might find yourself walking in the kind of marriage you really want to have.

God’s Word declares that the marriage relationship is pictured like the relationship that Jesus has with the Church. He is the groom and we are the bride. Look at how He pursued you! Take notice of the extravagant measures He took to win your heart. Do you see Him laying down His life for you? Do you see how He is more concerned with what He gives than what He gets? How He serves more than He is being served? Let’s think deeply about this… then let’s determine, with the Lord’s help, we will love that way. ☺

Below are some great reads for you this week:

-Pastor Kevin Berry