There is a great concept in the Kingdom of God, which also applies very practically to marriage. It is such, that the obedience of it will keep man and wife knit closely and give them lift during those storms of life so that they might walk upon and fly upon the waves. That blessed practice is living upon God’s spoken, or living, word. Moses wrote in Deuteronomy,
“And He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that He might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.” [Deut 8:3]
Jesus, quoting this verse, used the Greek word rema instead of the more common, logos. Rema means spoken or living word. Imagine a pool of water, and then one comes by and scoops with a cup some water out of the pool and gives to one some drink. The water in the pool is the logos and the cup scooped out and given away is the rema. Jesus says, “it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every spoken/living word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” [Mt 4:4]
If we study and meditate upon God’s written word, well, for so we must. Moses said also, regarding this practice, “for it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.” [Deut 32:47] But there is yet another thing we must keep in mind to seek, and that is God’s living word. No doubt, those of us who have been in Christ for some time, have at one point or another been handed that cold, refreshing cup of God’s living word from The Holy Spirit. It is when, in study and pursuit of God’s glory, to learn more of Him through beholding Christ in the scriptures, the Holy Spirit magnifies and presents to us a verse or a passage which above all else in that moment touches our hearts and speaks to us, that we have received a spoken or living word from God. This is God’s living word: when God, through His Spirit, brings to our heart and mind some specific and applicable word to our present circumstance.
These words are to be valued and cherished and observed, for they shall come to pass and they shall properly lead us. The angel Gabriel said to Mary, ultimately answering her question, “how shall this be, seeing I know not a man?…‘because with God, every spoken/living word shall not be impossible/unable.’” [Lk 1:34, 37] We see here two things. Firstly, Gabriel’s response indicates to us that the power and reason behind the fulfilment of the promise is the very promise itself. Why shall this happen? Because God spoke the word. How shall this happen? By the power of God’s word; for, “he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.” [Psa 33:9] Secondly, God’s word is steadfast and sure, and not one single syllable shall go unfulfilled. For Gabriel assures Mary the thing shall come to pass, for no spoken word of God shall at any time be impossible nor lack strength. We therefore read, “for ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven;” [Psa 119:89] and again, “thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.” [Psa 119:160]
We should now apply these things to marriage in particular. Remember, dear brother and husband, that we our marriages are a picture of Christ and the Church, His bride, and that we are told, “husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church.” [Eph 5:25] Therefore, we read of Jesus, when He prayed to The Father before His passion,
“I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the spoken/living words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.” [Jn 17:6-8]
See here that Jesus prays truthfully, “I have given unto them the spoken/living words which thou gavest me.” [Jn 17:8] Jesus received God’s spoken word, lived by it, and gave it to His disciples, to therefore lead them in the very path He also journeyed: for He also said, “if any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be.” [Jn 12:26] Therefore, we conclude we too, as husbands, are to seek God in earnest meditation of His word, prayer, fellowship, and service, as Jesus did, that we might more perfectly discern His word; that we might receive a living word from our King, and so therefore lead our wives and families. This is a crucial task for us to fulfil, for we are to live by God’s living word. Jesus Himself told us, “it is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the spoken/living words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” [Jn 6:63] So then, if we truly desire the right way for ourselves and our wives, if we truly desire Christ’s life, we must abide in His presence, seeking out His word and to hear from Him. Furthermore, since God’s word holds all things together, all things including our marriages, let us see the importance of this pursuit. For is it not written that Christ Jesus, God’s Son, is “upholding all things by the spoken/living word of His power,” and also, “by Him all things hold together?” [Heb 1:3, Col 1:17] Therefore, as Hebrews strongly exhorts, “therefore we ought to exceedingly devote ourselves to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should drift away,” [Heb 2:1] because if we fail to do this, we may not only drift away and destroy ourselves, but also our wives, who are connected to us, seeing that we are one flesh. Therefore, let us take heed to Jesus’ example and Jesus’ words.
Now, in addition to the practice, let us also speak briefly regarding the benefits of this obedience; mainly of two truths – that God’s word gives us life and that it delivers us from afflictions. Regarding the former, God’s word is filled with life. The Holy Spirit tells us in the Psalms, “your heart shall live that seek God.” [Psa 69:32] The man who seeks God, and we know that it is through His word that we most properly seek Him, (for we cannot but know who or what God is except through His revealed word), will experience life. His “heart shall live for ever.” [Psa 22:26] But truly, it is not just the mere study of God’s word, for Jesus said to the Pharisees, “you are searching the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” [Jn 5:39-40] No, it is not just in the seeking that we have life, but in the approaching of and fellowship with Christ Jesus; yea, and another thing to accompany that habit is practice – for again, Jesus said, “blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it,” [Lk 11:28] thus laying the blessing in the practice of God’s word not the hearing or seeking only. And so, as the first Psalms states, we must not just meditate in God’s word, but apply it in practice, avoiding evil fellowship and practice. That is the man who will experience the life God’s word has to offer.
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” [Psa 1:1-3]
Moreover, regarding the latter point: mainly, that God’s word delivers us from afflictions, we might more accurately say that God’s word delivers our hearts and minds from affliction, though not always delivering us in a tangible and physical sense. This is shown to us in a figure in the interaction which occurred between Peter and Jesus upon the stormy water. Matthew writes,
“And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.” [Mt 14:28-29]
See here that Jesus’ spoken word to Peter was “come,” and Peter therefore came, and “he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.” Thus, because Jesus spoke the word, Peter had the power and occasion to do that which Jesus’ word allowed; and, as long as Peter believed in that word, it was profitable to him. Through Jesus’ spoken word, Peter was able to walk upon the waters of the storm. Spiritually speaking, Jesus’ words may do the same for us, relieving our hearts and minds from distress and allowing us to freely walk even in the midst of afflictions. Regarding the relationship between God’s word and affliction, and the life obtained thereby, the Psalmist writes,
“Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath given me life....unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction. I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast given me life.” [Psa 119:49-50, 92-93]
Finally, we must apply these things to marriage, for in the application they have their best fruit. We are called of Christ, by reason of His life which was to us an example to follow, to pursue God in His word and so receive from Him spoken/living words, which are then to be distributed to and taught to our wives. This should not be a burden to us but a joyful opportunity to live as Jesus lived; and further, we can rejoice that God’s word has such delightful effects to it such as life, energy, and relief and peace in afflictions. So then, let us with joy draw water out of the wells of salvation, drinking free of charge of the glories of Christ which are so revealed to us by The Spirit. May we allow them to comfort and fill our hearts with overflowing life and peace, which guides us, and which is in turn spilt upon our wives by way of blessing and love.