Feb 18, 2026 Devotional

Day 3: The Cross-Shaped Marriage

Devotional: The model for Christian marriage looks more like a cross than culture's picture of romance. Paul's instruction is radical: husbands should love like Christ loved the church—through self-sacrifice, not dominance. Wives honor their husbands as an act of reverence to Christ. Both roles require dying to self. This mutual death produces something miraculous: two becoming one flesh. Marriage isn't about finding someone who completes you; it's about two whole people in Christ laying down their lives for each other. This feels like death initially because it is—death to selfishness, independence, and personal agenda. But Jesus taught that losing your life is how you find it. The same principle applies to marriage. When both spouses consistently choose sacrifice over selfishness, they discover abundant life together.