To rejoice in your wife means to actively pursue her, to do those things that delight and allure her, and to maintain an active and ongoing interest in her. To rejoice in your wife means to refuse to rejoice in anyone else—to refrain from desiring anyone else, to refuse from allowing your eyes to linger or your heart to long for any other woman.

This summer Aileen and I celebrated our twentieth anniversary and I can say with honesty that few things in life have thrilled or honored me more than the fact that she chose to spend her life with me, of all people. All those years ago she agreed to link her life to mine and we’ve been together, joined, ever since. How amazing is that?

Just around the time of our anniversary my devotions led me to the words of Solomon: “Rejoice in the wife of your youth.” Though I know these words were written specifically to a young man, I began to ponder them as a not-so-young man. Aileen is the wife of my youth, though neither of us can claim to be as youthful as we once were. So how does a no-longer-youthful man heed this? Or perhaps better, what advice or counsel might he offer to those who are newly married? Here’s where my thoughts led as I considered how to rejoice in the wife of your youth.

Rejoice in her gifts. Rejoice in the wife of your youth by rejoicing in her gifts. Much of the joy of marriage comes through having a front row seat to another person’s life. From this perspective you get the joy of seeing her put her talents to work. When she is a Christian you get to see her dedicate her talents and her spiritual gifts to the great purpose of doing good to others and glorifying God.

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