Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind – yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, because we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church. Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband.

Ephesians 5:25-33

Best friends. That’s what husband and wife should be. When two people are truly in love, they will deeply care for each other and cherish their time together. Second, true love means that a couple’s relationship will be characterized by the good each does for the other. How can two people with those characteristics be anything but best friends? Jesus is the ultimate source of love and respect. True love is Christlike love.

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times

– with the same person.

Our Daily Bread – December 4, 2003