By Brittany Vasquez
On March 4th through March 6th of 2022, my husband and I had the privilege of going to a couples retreat amongst the company of friends. It also happened to be the weekend of my birthday and our stay happened to be at the beach, which I also really enjoy going to. Either way I looked at it, this time given was a blessing. Spending time at beach with friends, a birthday get away, while alongside my husband in an intentional environment pouring back into our marriage. Our guest speaker’s during the retreat were husband and wife Vernell and Pam Ingle. First off in saying, they are great people and both serve the Lord. Together they are granted opportunity to minister unto families and marriages. Surely it is a call to them both to walk and serve in. They highlighted valuable matters concerning marriage and the beauty within it, but what stood out to me most as my biggest takeaway, was the message of truth that both individually and united as a couple, we are image bearers of God!
Image Bearers
This wasn’t a term completely new that I had never heard before, yet during this meeting, the revelation and light was fresh anew. While this wasn’t the only topic mentioned, the Holy Spirit definitely amplified it to me. Image bearers! I am an image bearer of God. My husband is an image bearer of God, and together God saw fit that we should behold His image in a unique light and love toward one another. What did God want me to see of Himself and His Love through my husband, and what did God want my husband to see of Himself and His Love through me? That became the instant question in my mind. Fortunately I can say, I had immediate answers come to mind right away in regards to seeing a measure of God’s image and love through my husband, but I knew I would want to consider and take in the Insight God would grant me. The reality is, as we are evolving, maturing and growing, God’s image is increasing. Throughout marriage, as the two are submitted to God, as time and seasons of life influence development, so it is with opportunity to see our spouse grow and develop towards the fullness of God’s image. We get to both witness and experience this. I write this as encouragement and also as a reminder to either of who may be reading this. Rather it be those who are already married, or those reading who are aspiring to be. To the one who is already married, seeing your spouse as an image bearer of God and taking notice to the ways they actively reflect His image and love, helps you to see the great and priceless value in them as well as great value in why God chose the two of you to be united in a purpose filled marriage in the first place. Personally speaking, I’ve been pretty determined to see The Good in what God calls Good concerning my life and that is a whole game changer let me just say! There are gifts that God intentionally joins together in marriage as well. Vernell and Pam Ingle both got oppurrunity to serve together in pouring into marriages and family in ministry, each one of them having their call and place.
Two are better than one because they have a more satisfying return for their labor;
Ecclesiastes 4:9 AMP
When I think of the Proverbs 31 wife, there is a voluminous account in this one chapter alone speaking of her likeness. Some things paraphrased in describing her are the following statements. The husband has full confidence in her. He will have no lack of gain. She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life. She works with eager hands, and gets up while it is still night, to provide food for her family and female servants. She assigns tasks. She makes investments. She is clothed in strength and dignity. She speaks wisdom and faithful instruction in her days. She is watchful over her household, over what’s been given and entrusted to her with attentiveness, and does not partake in laziness. She reaches out to others in need. She is prepared for what lies ahead in the seasons to come. Her husband and children praise her and call her blessed. She is independently an image bearer, with her own set of skills and abilities. In marriage she adds to the table what is already endowed within her.
The husband likewise brings to the table his skills and abilities that are purposed of God. Together the emphasis, is that they grow and increase in producing more together than they would individually. Just like simple addition. God’s Word says the two together have a greater return for what they produce.
While a husband has his practical capabilities he adds in marriage, I do want to highlight the call he is to carry in a very specific light. As Jesus is the head of the church, and gave himself for the church, a husband is called to bear this image as the one who is called to be the head. Ephesians chapter 5, verses 25 and 26 reads, “For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.” (NLT) Verse 27 speaks that this was so the church, the body of Christ, could be presented before Himself, without spot,( moral fault) or blemish, holy and set apart for Him! Verse 28 tells us, “In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.” (CSB) No one ever hated his own flesh, verse 29 points out, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
Where the head leads the body follows. Jesus’ example of leading is towards Holiness and in being set apart. Towards nourishment and cherishment, being washed and cleansed by the Word. The outcome leading to being presented before God, as one body without fault. The previous verses highlight the call of a husband to bear the image as a leader in this way. According to the scriptures already covered, he is to love and lead his wife adding nourishment and cherishment to her. God’s Word is to be cleansing to her, even through the husband’s speech, as she is one body with him. One body member purposed in God with intentional function. Romans 12:4 reads as follows, “ For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function. (NKJV). So then “having gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them… (romans 12:6)
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
I Peter 4:10
We have free will if we should continue to increase in God’s image as His image bearer or not. Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every Word proceeding from the mouth of God. The Word is life unto us. God’s Word spoke us into existence and it is continually growing us, healing us, and cleansing us. The scripture says Jesus gave Himself up for us that we may be sanctified and washed by the Word, being presented before Him without spot. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you,” Jesus speaks in the gospel of John
In our relationships, both individually and united, we are to bear God’s image, and bear fruit glorifying God. In our character, values, and standards, in our countenance and demeanor. In working and serving our life firstly and foremost always to God. Colossians 1:10( KJV) expresses “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;” Bearing “good fruit” in every “good work” that God calls good, and increasing in our knowledge of Him is purpose alone in itself! In marriage it is no different! As husband and wife, we are to continue to grow, and our roles to each other should continue to uphold this principle.
Psalms 133:1 CEB Look at how good and pleasing it is when families live together as one!
Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,
Romans 15:5 NKJV
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Peculiar in a Popular Place 