Living as God Conscious Believers

Lately, a doctrine found in 1 Peter 2 - 3 has captured my heart and attention. It is the calling of all believers to live with a "God consciousness" fleshed out in our daily lives. Most would readily agree that Christians are to live in light of the reality of God, but how often does that trickle down to the everyday issues of life?
At Crossraods Church, we've been studying how that applies in several very practical areas of life: our obedience to and honoring of civil authority, willingly suffering shame and reproach because we live for Christ, submission in home life, and this last week we studied how those in authority live with a God consciousness as they follow the example and teaching of Christ on leadership as service. (Matt. 20:20-28) We looked specifically at the subject of husbands practicing a God consciousness as they serve their wives. To put it another way, we serve our wives by leading them Godward because we see all of our calling as husbands in the reality of God. The authority and responsibility we have been given is to be used to direct our wife to God for her good and His glory. Only in this will she be genuinely happy and content.
The hard work comes in knowing specifically what ways we need to lead our wife. Do we know our wife so intimately as to recognize her greatest spiritual needs? Peter tells us as husbands to dwell with our wives in an understanding manner, or as the King James puts it "dwell with her according to knowledge". The term translated "dwell with" found only here in the New Testament has a very intimate connotation. Some commentators even interpret Peter to be speaking of husbands being understanding in sexual relations with their wives. However, this misses the point; Peter is using a very intimate expression, for intimacy is required if we will "know" our wives well enough to understand their greatest spiritual needs and how best to lead and guide them in these issues. So here are a few questions I've asked myself this week and that you might ask yourself if you are a husband.

1. Can I honestly say that I know my wife so intimately that I can identify her greatest spiritual needs?
   
2. Have I prepared myself spiritually that I have the wisdom and biblical understanding to lead her in those needs to God's provision?
3. When was the last time I talked intimately with my wife seeking to understand her struggles, desires, hopes, and concerns in our marriage and family?
4. Do I know her fears?
5. Do I understand God's teaching on marriage so that I recognize her danger areas and what I should be guarding and protecting her from?
6. What are my spiritual goals for our marriage today? This week? This year? Our life?
   

As I think on the issues in this way, I am made to realize that being a Christian husband is not for the fainthearted or the apathetic. It requires diligence, study and genuine love for our Lord and our wives, but think carefully about the advantages.

1. We will be honoring our Lord by holding Him and His commands to husbands as the highest priority in our marriage.
2. We will be playing a part in beautifying our wives according to God's instructions found in 1 Peter 3:1-6, a beauty which is lasting and genuine.
3. We will be showing our wives that we love them in ways that will be meaningful and other-worldly.
4. We will be helping them to grow as "fellow heirs of the grace of life."
5. We will be growing as we study to be unashamed workmen.

Father, give us the grace and wisdom as husbands to lead our wives in the paths of Your will and wisdom, and equip us for this great task You have given us to beautify our wives for Your glory and their highest good. Forgive us in our selfishness and sinfulness when we do not put Your commands first and instead use our leadership and authority as those who do not know You and "lord it over" those under our authority instead of following the example of Your Son who came "not to be served, but to serve and give His life". Father cause us to be servant leaders to our wives for Your glory we pray.