Joli and I will be starting a marriage study out of our home next month, and the book we decided to use was Douglas Wilson’s “Reforming Marriage.” Our goal is not to teach other marriages how to have better marriages in the world but to experience with each of the couples how to have marriages that bring glory to God.

While reading the second chapter, I was struck with his conclusion sentence that I just had to post here:

“He [husband] must be a rock in his home, a small pebble that somehow by the grace of God pictures the Rock that is Christ.” (p. 41 of Reforming Marriage)

Men must be like a rock! If you have grown up watching the Chevrolet truck commercials over the years you will notice a similiar branding theme that is always heard and seen, “Like a rock!” They advertise to men that want to be strong and tough! Men do desire those things but typically, outside of marriage. A Christian husband must be a solid pillar in his home but looking to his example for how to do it, Christ. Being a rock in the home is where a Christian man differs from the worldly appearance of men and trucks. He is called to love and lead. Love involves sacrifice and selflessness and leading requires discipline and no laziness.

As Christian men, we move forward with our Lord’s example in being the Good Shepherd and Bridegroom for His church. He loved us with an everlasting love by laying down His life, and His leadership of the church is full of grace and perseverance: He will never leave or forsake us.

This is the challenge I am facing as a Christian man today: how to love and to lead. My pray is that I would look to our Savior and grow in grace. I am looking forward to learning what God has in store for my little family, and I hope I will be the servant leader that is a pebble that somehow “pictures the Rock that is Christ.”