At some point, a light-bulb went on in my head.

Being a good husband must be very hard work.

God used Isaiah 54:5, “For your Maker is your husband— the LORD Almighty is his name…” to teach me that the husband role is so difficult for a human to fulfill that God himself covers the role by being our perfect husband.

Each man has the privilege of learning from the Lord and doing his very best to husband like Him, but no man will achieve that calling perfectly.

The point is that Jesus meets each need that should be met by a perfect husband. When we finally rest in Christ, we can revere and forgive the man we married, believing the best: that he could imitate our great Savior’s love.

Then I noticed that God never claims to cover a wife’s responsibilities. He says He is a Father, a Husband, a Friend, a Lover… He even compares Himself to a Mother, but He never says He is like a Wife.

So, I developed a theory. (You’ll have to tell me what you think.)

Theory: Though it must be very difficult for a human being to be an excellent husband, it must be at least possible for a human to be an excellent wife, for God never claims to cover a wife’s responsibilities.

While Scripture doesn’t develop specific “husband how-to’s” (besides, well, imitating Christ’s perfect husbanding of His Church), it is full of practical and specific teachings regarding how to be an excellent wife. This established my foundation of unconditional respect for Ryan and his calling as a husband. (It also encouraged me to receive the blessing of my more succinct, less vast role and dive right into womanhood with a very grateful heart.) I’ve asked Ryan if he and his friends stand around and absolutely quake at their vast responsibility. He said they try real hard not to think about it that way.

Five years ago, this brainstorm started me thinking about how I could support Ryan, encourage him, pray for him, and aim to understand the significant weight of his role as my husband.

And that my friends, is why I want you to come back tomorrow. To read (gulp!) about the ugliness that Jesus illuminated in my own heart so that our marriage could come to life again.

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