**Daily Devotional** **November 22** *32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. - Eph 5:32-33 (KJV)* The writer of Ephesians is saying that all the things he has been saying (Ephesians 5:21-33) between husbands and wives, is the way that it is between Christ and the church. The “New Jerusalem” is called the bride of Christ (Revelation 21:2), and the saints who are in the book of life, are the ones that will inhabit the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:27). All the proceeding verses that tell a wife how she should treat her husband are telling the church how we should be toward Jesus, our husband. All the verses telling the husband how to treat their wives, is how Jesus is toward His bride, the church. This is why the writer is saying it is a great mystery, as it is describing the church’s relationship with Jesus, as well as a wife with a man. This verse uncovers a truth that most do not know in life, as it tells the husband to love his wife, even as himself and the wife to reverence (respect) her husband. A woman is by nature, a more emotional person, and because of that, they need to be shown love by their husbands. On the other hand, a man is not as emotional, and by nature has a lot of pride, and what he needs is for his wife to reverence (respect) him. God made us this way, and so often, we tend to give the other mate what we want them to give us, and that does not work, as the wife wants love, not just respect. The man wants respect, and not just love. Give each other what they need, and your marriage will benefit from it. Praise God for giving us such information in our owner’s manual, the bible. Devotional by Pastor Joe W. Green, www.infinite-faith.com