In some cultures, the idea ‘husband is god’ is promoted. There are also proverbs like, even husband is just a ‘grass’ or ‘stone,’ he is still ‘god,’ Hence, he is an object of worship, adoration and service. This exalts a husband to higher status with lot of privileges and at the same time reduces wife to just a slave with no rights. This also paves way to oppress wives by husbands and their family members with impunity.
Rachael did not have a child through Jacob, while her sister Leah, Jacob’s first wife had. Frustrated Rachael complained to Jacob: “Give me children or I’ll die.” (Genesis 30:1) Indeed, Jacob was equally frustrated. He shouted at Rachael, “Am I in place of God?” (Genesis 30:2) This kind of conversations between spouses are common.
All humans have need: physical, social, psychological, emotional, mental, spiritual…etc. Who is the resource to provide all these needs? Instead of looking to God as the resource, spouses look to their partner for their needs to be met. They want spouses to provide esteem, respect, honour in wider family, community and society. When that does not happen; frustration, anger, disagreement and even fights begin. Many families have perennial fights because of these.
All our deepest longings and desires could be only met by the creator, Lord Jesus Christ. The Samaritan woman kept looking for her needs to be met six times by her different spouses and all ended up in failure. (John 4: 18) Spouses are not gods to provide all the needs. No wonder, we have more divorces than ever before. Learning to lean on God in all situations results in peace with ourselves and with others. Let us remember the beautiful song: “What a friend we have in Jesus.”
Have all our longings fulfilled by belonging to Lord Jesus Christ?