It is the observing of these three primary forces on the part of the man that makes it possible for a woman to be a woman! This is what every husband should know -- that he creates the atmosphere that makes it possible for her to supply those womanly qualities that complement his manly ones and make a home what God intended a home to be. It is only as he exerts his leadership in this three-fold area that she finds it fully possible to manifest those qualities which God has placed within her. Therefore, a happy marriage begins with the man.
Peter has one final point to make. It is a word of warning. Failure by the husband to observe these things, he says, means spiritual poverty in that home. "Your prayers will be hindered." Prayer represents our whole spiritual relationship with God. If you can not pray to God, your spiritual relationship to Him is in trouble. It is only God that can make human life worth living, and a man is a fool who tries to find a worthy life apart from God. That is the whole thrust of the Gospel message. It is only in a restoration to God through Jesus Christ that man can find the intended worth and glory of life. And prayer, that sense of dependence, that expression of faith that makes possible all of God's giving unto men, is hindered when man fails to fulfill his role and responsibility within the home.
So this is what every husband should know about the marriage relationship. Men, some of us have a lot of work to do in this area. We have not been the kind of husbands that we ought to be. We have taken our wives for granted. We have not valued them as we should. We have shut down the lines of communication. We have not taken our place as understanding leaders in the home. Why not determine right now that you will put Peter's teaching into practice in your life. Love your wife as much as you love yourself. Treat her as you would treat yourself. It will certainly pay dividends now in your life, and in the life that is to come.
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